


The Royal Thief

by catsg7



Category: The Hobbit (Jackson Movies)
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, Eventual Smut, F/M, Mild Language, thorin is untrusting, two alpha personalities clash
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-02
Updated: 2018-10-08
Packaged: 2018-11-08 00:51:10
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 22,978
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11070606
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/catsg7/pseuds/catsg7
Summary: Nyssa is a thief traveling through Mirkwood when she was captured by Thranduil's guards. In order to earn her freedom, she is tasked with stealing the Arkenstone out of the Lonely Mountain. But, the Arkenstone is taken by another, and Nyssa is blamed for the theft. She escapes, and the dwarves are in pursuit, especially a certain dwarf king, Thorin, who is angry that he is taken for a fool. It's a cat and mouse game with Nyssa running across the lands of Middle Earth trying to prove her innocence. For she broke her one cardinal rule. She fell in love with the mark.





	1. The Assignment

**Author's Note:**

> I have read countless fanfiction that is out there about The Hobbit, and I wanted to contribute my own story. I am borrowing my OC Nyssa from my other fanfiction. Actually, Nyssa was originally created in this fiction first, and I really just rewrote her in the modern fanfic that I am also currently writing. For those who are fans of my Spooks/MI-5 story that I am still working on, Nyssa pretty much has the same characteristics here as well. She's just a thief and not an international spy. I took a long hiatus from this fanfic for a while and only have a few chapters written. This story doesn't flow like water like the other story is doing, so I will try to update often. Reviews are most welcome. Also, I don't own the Hobbit characters. They belong to Tolkien, who is a magnificent writer in his own right. Only Nyssa belongs to me. I am using the movie version, so if I get something wrong, please forgive me.

Nyssa found a perch in a tree at the edge of the forest.  It was a beautiful and warm night to rest before her journey took her into unfamiliar lands.  It was not a journey she had planned to take, but unforeseen circumstances had forced her to change her route.

She sighed and leaned back against the base of the tree to glance at the stars.  The sky was clear of any clouds with a light breeze blowing from the north.  As the breeze passed through the trees, it rustled the leaves and blew light kisses across her skin and hair.  The full moon gave off a silver glow that illuminated most of the forest floor.  It would be hard for an orc or goblin to approach her unnoticed.

Nyssa made a final sweep of the forest with her eyes.  There was nothing visible and nothing stirring outside of the usual crickets and nocturnal creatures of the forest.  She could not see or hear them, but she knew the elves were out there watching her.  The elves had better eyesight than she and could move around unseen.

 _Thranduil’s guards will be keeping an eye on me_ , she thought.  _At least until I pass the boundaries of his kingdom._

Nyssa closed her eyes and prayed for sleep to come quickly.  She knew she had a lot of traveling to do before she reached the city, and she needed the rest.

Several weeks ago Nyssa was traveling through the forest of Mirkwood.  She had heard that the wood elves were very strict and protective of their lands.  Villagers would tell stories about how travelers would enter Mirkwood only to disappear and never be seen again.

Nyssa did not discount the warnings.  She believed that they were true; however, she was a ranger from the north, a fierce warrior.  She had no fear, and she was traveling alone.  Plus, her experience as a professional thief enabled her to slip into and out of places unnoticed.

She had been traveling for three days when she was captured.  The elves came from above and attacked.  Nyssa managed to hold her own in a fight, but there were too many of them.  One of them hit her over the head knocking her unconscious.  When she regained consciousness, she found herself in an elven dungeon.

She was lying on a stone bed with a single wool blanket.  One of the guards noticed she was awake and sent word to his superior.  It was not long before she had an armed escort visit her cell.

“My Lord Thranduil wishes to see you.  Come with us now,” ordered the guard as he unlocked the door.

Nyssa shrugged her shoulders and tossed the blanket aside.  As she stood up, a wave of nausea along with a massive headache suddenly hit her.  She took a large breath and blinked a couple of times before moving forward.  The last thing she felt like doing was walking, but she was not about to let these elves see her in pain.  She fought the nausea and followed the guards up a series of stone steps toward the throne room.

Nyssa stood before a tall platform with stone steps leading to a chair made from an oak tree.  Seated on the throne was a tall, slender elf with long, straight blond hair wearing a crown made from twigs and flowers.  He had cold, piercing blue eyes and regal features that commanded both authority and respect.

Nyssa had been around enough people to recognize intimidation merely by reading body language.  She was impressed by some and annoyed by others.  This king had a little of both.  She could tell by his body language that he was used to getting his way.  No one said no to him.

“I understand that you were found trespassing on my lands.  It is against our laws to enter this kingdom without my permission,” said the elf king.

“I was unaware of your laws as I am human and not governed by elvish law, my lord,” answered Nyssa.

“You are a ranger, one of the Dunedain, I believe.  I recognized you, my dear,” said Thranduil.

“Formally….., my lord.  I left the rangers of the north to follow my own path.”

“The path of a thief.  I know you very well.  Nyssa, I believe is your name?  Or, do you prefer the Princess of Thieves?”

“I am not a common thief, my lord.  Although I am called many names, that last one is my least favorite.  I detest any such titles that make me more than I am.”

“A skilled thief such as yourself, is not proud.  My, my, you are quite the enigma, my dear.  It brings me to my next question.  Why are you here?  Are you hoping to lift some of our treasure for yourself?” he asked.

“I assure you, my lord.  I was merely looking for a quicker route through your forest to reach my destination.  I had no intention of stealing from such a grand kingdom as yours.  Nor, would I steal from a humble and just leader as the one I see before me,” Nyssa answered as she bowed toward the king.

Nyssa intrigued Thranduil.  She was a very intelligent woman with a witty personality.  To any average person, she could charm the clothes off his back, but Thranduil was not fooled.  He lived a thousand lifetimes to know a confidence artist when he saw one.  Yet, she did succeed in amusing him.  That was an accomplishment in itself.

An idea suddenly came to the king. An idea that had been occupying the king’s thoughts lately suddenly came to mind.  Nyssa may prove to be the weapon he would need to strike back at his one adversary and retrieve the treasure he had sought for many decades.

“You are very gifted with speech, my dear.  You amuse me.  I have half a mind to keep you here for my entertainment.”

Thranduil caught a quick flash of anger in Nyssa’s eyes before she composed herself.  He smiled before continuing with his plan.

“But, I have a more pressing need for you other skills.  There is a kingdom several leagues away that has grown to be one of the most prosperous kingdoms of Middle Earth.  It is the dwarf kingdom of Erebor.  Do you know of it?”

“I was a young child when I heard of the dragon, Smaug, attacking Erebor.  Only recently did I learn that the dwarves reclaimed the mountain.”

“Yes,” said Thranduil as he rose from his throne and ascended the stairs. “That was only a few years ago.  King Thorin has made much progress in rebuilding his kingdom.”

“I fail to see my part in all this, my lord.”

“If you wish to continue to pass through my kingdom, my dear, you must pay a toll.  The price for a safe passage is very specific.”

Nyssa was surprised at how tall the king was.  He towered over her as he spoke.  Nyssa was small for a human, not quite five feet.

“And, what is the price that you had in mind?” she asked.

“Two things….there are gems in that mountain.  Gems as white as the stars in the heavens, the white gems of Lasgalen.  Bring them to me as part of your payment for your freedom.  You have until the dwarves new year…Durin’s Day.”

“That’s three months away, my lord.  Surely, you can’t expect me to accomplish such a task in such a short time.”

“Nevertheless, that is your task.  If you do not complete it in the time that I say, you will remain here as my servant indefinitely.”

Nyssa had already detested the Elven King, but she could not let her emotions show on her face.  She had to play along.  It was the only way to gain her freedom.

“You spoke of two things, my lord.  What is the second task?” she asked hoping the second chore would not be impossible.

“I want you to steal a very precious jewel from an old enemy of mine.  I want you to steal the Arkenstone.”

 


	2. The Hunting Party

Thranduil dismissed Nyssa with an escort to see that she took the path toward the Forest River.  He turned back to his throne.  There was a royal air about him as he walked with his regal garments flowing behind him.  He sat down feeling relaxed that his plan was finally put into motion.  His trusted advisor, Winhim, addressed the king with concern in his voice.

“My lord, are you sure that you can trust this human to keep her ward?” he asked.  “She is, after all, a known thief and proven liar.”

“Oh, I am not putting all my trust in this woman alone.  If she could, she will betray me at the first opportunity.  Of that, I am certain,” Thranduil answered with a smile.

“Then, how can you be sure that she will return with the items you seek?”

“She knows that I will leave her with no choice.  Someone will be watching over her to guarantee that she accomplishes her task.  Also, if she does not complete her assignment, or she does betray me, I will have a price on her head so large she can never again go near another civilized settlement.”

“My lord, if I may ask, why do you wish to possess the Arkenstone?”

“It is not for me to possess.  It is for an alliance, of sorts.  That jewel is a symbol to the dwarves as the King’s Jewel.  The seven dwarf clans will recognize whoever possesses that stone.  The kingdom of Erebor is the most prosperous and powerful kingdom in Middle Earth.  I have an arrangement with a member of a house that also has ties to the house of Durin.  They will contest Thorin’s position as king and remove him from the throne.  With a new king, our control over the kingdom will be strong.”

“That is a very dangerous plan, my lord.  King Thorin has many allies and loyal dwarves in his favor.  If this plan were to fail, there will be a war.”

“That is why I need someone with no direct connections to this kingdom.  We can deny everything if she gets caught.  She is a known liar.  They may execute her, treat her as a slave, whatever her fate, it matters not.  But if we succeed, I will have the throne of Erebor in the palm of my hand.  I believe it is worth a try, don’t you think?”

Winhim smiled and nodded in agreement with his king.  In three days, Nyssa would have reached Erebor, and the plan would be set into motion.

It only took a day and a half for Nyssa to find the river and another day to follow it to the mouth.  She was only a mile away from the Long Lake when she heard the faint sounds of leaves and bushes rustling.  Someone or something was moving through the forest toward the lake.

Nyssa crouched low and walked in stealth fashion toward the sounds.  She used the trees to hide her approach.  She knew that the sounds did not come from her elven shadows.  Wood elves were never this noisy.

Nyssa crept over the hillside toward a series of large stones half protruding out of the ground.  From there, she could see a group of orcs coming out of the forests.

It was rare to see orcs moving around in the daylight.  They prefer to travel in greater numbers at night.  This was a small group hiding in the shadows of the trees as they walked.  Nyssa was surmised that is was a scouting party.  That meant that there were more of them elsewhere.

 _‘Where are they going?’_ she thought as she watched them reach the banks of the lake and headed north.

She followed them for a few miles until she heard one of them approaching her from behind.  Quickly, like a flash, she ducked to avoid getting her head chopped off by the orc’s ax.  She turned with her knives sheathed and plunged her weapons into his chest.  The commotion from the dying creature alerted the other orcs, and they turned on Nyssa.

Nyssa quickly retracted her knives from the orc’s blackened chest by his oozing blood and turned to block another sword swinging from behind her.  The knife in her right hand pushed the sword away allowing the orc to fall forward while using her other knife to cut the creature’s throat. 

Nyssa side stepped another attack and blocked again and again, cutting through her attackers as they came.  She paused for a fraction of a second to take a head count of the remaining orcs still coming after her.  She could tell that she was grossly outnumbered, but she had no other choice.  She had to fight her way out of this or die.

Her body was beginning to show signs of fatigue and pain, but she pushed those feelings aside.  She needed to focus.

One of the orcs took out his horn and blew a call for more reinforcements.  Nyssa knew that she was in trouble.  She began to panic.  Where were the elves that were following her?

‘ _I should know better than to trust wood elves from Thranduil’s kingdom_ ,’ she thought.

She had to break away and make a run for it.  As she continued her advance, she saw an opening and charged through it.  She swiftly made a break through the trees and up the embankment.  The orcs immediately gave chase. 

As she was running, she cut through more orcs who were trying to flank her.  She came to a clearing in the forest when an arrow hit her back left thigh causing her to trip and fall forward on her stomach.  She turned to grab the arrow when a nasty muddy foot stepped on her shoulders pressing her further into the ground.  Her knives were taken, and she laid helpless while orc hands groped her for her weapons.  The pain from the arrow in her thigh was burning like a flaming torch embedded in her leg.

“Ain’t you a pretty thing,” one of the orcs said to her.  “Do we take ‘er to the master, or can we gut ‘er and eat ‘er ‘ere?”

“Let’s ‘ave a little fun first,” said another.

Nyssa closed her eyes and prayed for death to come quickly as she felt more groping hands all over her body.  Suddenly, there was the sound of something flying through the air just above her.  One of the orcs that touched her fell forward across her body.  She opened her eyes and saw an arrow protruding through the orc’s right eye.  He was dead.

A small cavalry of men and dwarves came riding from the north surrounding the remaining orcs and killing them.  Orcs were dropping all around her as she had lain motionless on the ground.  The pain from her leg along with the weight of the dead orc on her back made it difficult to move anyway.

After the brief battle was over, one of the big burly dwarves got off his pony and pulled the dead orc off of Nyssa’s back.  He grabbed her left arm and attempted to turn her over when the pain from her leg tore through her body.  She winced and cried out as she instinctively grabbed her thigh.  The dwarf turned and also grabbed her thigh to stop her movements.

“The lass is wounded,” he said to one of his people.  “She’ll need a healer straight away.”

Another dwarf dismounted and came to his aid as he placed his hands on the arrow.  The second dwarf held Nyssa down just as the first one turned back toward Nyssa.  She could barely see his face as he spoke to her.

“Brace yourself, lass.  This is gonna hurt.”

Just then, the large dwarf broke off the shaft of the arrow leaving the arrowhead still inside her thigh.  The pain was so great that Nyssa screamed.  Then everything went completely black.

 


	3. Introductions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize in advance for those who know Sindarin better than me. I know I must have butchered the language. I am using a translation website which doesn't translate perfectly, so I'm improvising. If there are any readers out there who can help. Please.....Help...... I would be happy to collaborate with anyone who is an expert. I have a book on Tolkien's languages that I'm currently reading right now. It's very interesting.

The first thing Nyssa heard was voices all around her.  She felt warm under the blankets in the soft feather bed.  She wanted nothing more than to go back to sleep, but there was something that did not feel right.  As she slowly regained consciousness, her memories were also coming back.  The last thing she recalled was being shot in the thigh by an orc arrow.

The events of leading up to the attack were flashing through her mind.  She came upon an orc pack, fought and killed as many as she could, and then she made a break for it.  She ran along the banks of the lake before she was hit.  So, how did she end up in a bed?

Nyssa groaned as she forced her eyes open.  She heard a female voice tell another person that she was waking up and to go get someone.  She couldn’t comprehend anymore because of the pounding in her head and the cotton in her ears.  All she could do at that moment was to take in her surroundings and try to find out where she was.

Nyssa tried to push herself up into a sitting position when a pair of hands gently pushed her back down by her shoulders.  Nyssa blinked a few times to focus on the person trying to talk to her.

The young girl had a round face, straight nose, brown eyes, long blond hair in a series of braids, and what looked like facial hair around the chin and lips.  This woman had a beard.  It took a moment before Nyssa realized that she was staring into the face of a dwarrowdam.  She had never seen a dwarrowdam before.  They usually stayed hidden away like precious treasures.  When they did come out in public, they were dressed like the dwarrows.  It was nearly impossible to tell a female dwarf from a male.

“Don’t hurt yourself, dearie,” said the dwarrowdam as she gently pushed Nyssa back into the bed.  “You need to rest.  Your fever only just broke a few hours ago.”

“What happened?  Where am I?” Nyssa asked.

“You’re in the healer’s house in Dale.  You’ve been very sick for a good week now.  My name is Iona.  I am a healer’s apprentice.”

“How did I get here?”

“You were quite sick when the captain of the King’s guard had you brought in.  He said you were taking on a whole pack of orcs on your own when you got shot.  You were delirious with fever when you got here.”

“I only remember getting shot by the arrow.  I don’t remember anything else.”

“I don’t doubt that.  The poison from the orc’s arrow was working fast.  If it weren’t for that elf maid, you would have passed into the shadow,” she explained.

At that moment, as if on cue, an elf maid with long red hair and a green dress entered the room.  She was carrying two bowls of different size.  One was a large bowl with steaming hot bandages.  The other smaller bowl had a green pasty substance inside.  She stood at the door like she was waiting for permission.  Iona sensed her presence and turned to face her.

“I see that she is awake,” said the elf maid.

“This is Tauriel, the elf who saved you,” Iona said to Nyssa.

Again, Nyssa tried to sit up but was pushed back down by Iona.  Tauriel walked to the bed without a word spoken and pulled back the blanket to examine Nyssa’s leg.  She took away the old wrappings to see the wound.

The leg was healing nicely.  The purple blotches were subsiding as was the infection.  Tauriel cleaned the wound then too the small bowl filled with an athelas poultice.  She began applying the mixture to the wound.

Nyssa let out a hiss through her clenched teeth.  The poultice stung and was very uncomfortable.  Nyssa’s leg jerked when a sudden shooting pain tore through her entire leg and body.  It took a few seconds for the pain to subside leaving behind a soothing coolness coming from the poultice.  The pain lessened, and she regained control of her body.

After Nyssa’s leg settled down, Tauriel wrapped the leg with the warm bandages.  She said not a word to Nyssa during this time, and Nyssa’s curiosity became too much to bear.  It was Nyssa who spoke first in Sindarin.

“Mani taur edhel e’ apanonar tal?” (What brings a wood elf to a city of men?) Nyssa asked.

Tauriel finished wrapping her leg and stared at her patient as if deciding whether or not to answer the question.

“Amin I’ atya’ en’ edainme taur’ohtar,” (I ask the same of a woman ranger,) she answered.

Nyssa glanced over Tauriel’s shoulder toward Iona who was making a sour face.  Obviously, the dwarf was uncomfortable with the elf speaking her native tongue in her presence.  A slight smile crept across Nyssa’s face.

Nyssa wondered if Tauriel was sent by Thranduil to keep an eye on her.  She quickly dismissed the idea thinking that if Thranduil were to send spies, he would not want her to know it.  Still, it was better to be cautious and say as little as possible.  She had no doubt of Thranduil’s intentions and thought it best to be on her guard.

“It was a morgul arrow that pierced your leg,” said Iona.  “Had it not been for Tauriel, you would have died.”

“I see,” said Nyssa.  “I have heard of the orc poison before.  Only elves know how to counteract its effects.  I thank you for that.”

Tauriel gave a slight smile and a nod before standing.  She gathered the bowls and turned to leave the room.  Iona watched her go before turning to Nyssa.  She recovered Nyssa with the blanket and looked back at her patient.

“Get some rest.  I will come back in an hour with some food,” said Iona.

Nyssa returned the smile and waited until Iona left the room closing the door behind her.  As soon as she heard the dwarf walking away from the door, Nyssa threw back the blankets and carefully swung her legs to the side of the bed as she pushed herself into a sitting position.

A brief wave of nausea and dizziness hit Nyssa as she sat upright.  She closed her eyes and contemplated staying in bed until the dizziness subsided.  She opened her eyes and glanced around the room.

It was a quaint little room with very little furniture.  There was a single table next to the bed with a lamp and an unlit candle.  A small chair sat in a corner next to the table and another chair sat at the far corner of the room near a single window.  Nyssa could see her clothes folded neatly and stacked on that chair near the window with her boots on the floor underneath.  The only items she noticed were missing were her weapons.

 _They took my bow and blades_ , she thought.

Perhaps they did not fully trust her.  It seemed fair.  She did not trust them either.  She only hoped that there was not a guard posted at the door.  In her weakened condition, it would make any chance for escape nearly impossible.

Nyssa took a breath and placed her bare feet on the stone floor.  The chill from the floor sent a throbbing pain through her feet and into her legs.  Combined with extreme weakness and the stabbing pain from the wound her thigh, Nyssa nearly collapsed on the floor.  She held onto the bed post for balance while she gained control her limbs.  The urge to crawl back into bed was very strong, but Nyssa was determined.

 _No…  I have to do this_ , she thought.  _I’ll just take it slow_.

It took a few frustrating minutes for Nyssa’s legs to cooperate as she made her way to the chair that held her clothes.  She was still very weak.  She made a mental note to steal some breakfast at the market before going on her way.

Nyssa dressed and watched the door for any sign of Iona returning to the room.  She checked her right boot and saw that the knife was still hidden in a secret compartment inside the lining.  She smiled and put her boots on.

She slowly walked toward the door and listened intently to catch any movement on the other side.  Satisfied that there was no one there, she slowly opened the door a crack.

The hallway seemed deserted with only a few distant sounds of other patients coming from the other closed rooms.  Nyssa felt it was too risky to look for her weapons now.  It was a shame too.  She was fond of her hand blades, and the bow was made from the finest wood, an elvish bow.  She made a mental note to herself to look for them later.

Nyssa carefully made her way through the corridors and stairs trying not to be seen until she made her exit.  She walked down the street and through the alleys until she found herself in the market place.

It was crowded with all kinds of people.  Dwarves and men from all the lands were buying and selling their wares.  Fabrics from all styles and colors were draped across the booth of one merchant, a dwarf woman in an elaborate dress.  The women of the city were touching and examining her products while their husbands spent their time in the pub.  There were also knife wielders and farmers selling their items to various people browsing the vendors for their needs.

Nyssa casually walked around assessing the crowd and her surroundings.  She passed the local pub hearing singing and laughter coming from the place.  She glanced through the window and even saw a dwarrow or two dancing on the tables.  There was quite a lot of ale being consumed by that party.

 _Dwarves_ , she smiled before moving on.

It seemed that the city had grown and prospered in a short few years since the great battle at the gates of Erebor.  The alliance of King Bard and King Thorin had proved successful in both their economies and their lines of defense in the land.

Nyssa continued her walk through the street until her eyes came upon a bread merchant.  Her eyes were drawn to the basket of honey cakes, and she felt her stomach growl.  Her body was reminding her of how hungry she was.  She watched as the merchant was busy bartering with a customer over a basket of sweet rolls when a young boy of thirteen walked slowly toward plate of biscuits.  His friends were also watching from a few yards away just as the boy grabbed a handful of biscuits and started running into the crowd.  The merchant saw what had happened and dropped the basket he was holding in order to chase after the little thief.

While all eyes were on the merchant and the boy, Nyssa took the opportunity to walk over and slip a couple of honey cakes into her coat pocket.  She hurried off into the opposite direction in the street and slipped into another alley behind the pub when she saw a couple of city guards heading toward the commotion in the market place.

Nyssa took another turn away from the street until she was confident that she was not followed.  She took one of the honey cakes from her pocket and started to eat when she heard a voice from behind her say something.

“Well, looks like we found you, lass.  You’re looking right as rain for a human who was at death’s door a week ago,” said the voice.

Nyssa held her breath and slowly turned around to see who was addressing her.  It was a dwarrow with a bald head on top and long brown hair on the sides.  He was broad shouldered with a fur collared coat and a set of two large battle axes strapped to his back.  The top of his head had a strange tattoo that Nyssa had only seen on other dwarves.  It was their custom to decorate their skin with Khuzdul designs.

The dwarf looked familiar, but she could not remember when she ever met him.  The other dwarf companion he was with also knew her, but again, she did not know him.

“We came to see how you faired, but you weren’t in yer room,” he said.

“I am sorry to admit that I don’t know who you are, sir,” Nyssa said.

“I am Dwalin, at yer service,” he said as he bowed to her.  “And, this is my man, Norag.  We’ve come to take ya back to the healer’s house, lass.  There’s someone who wants to talk with ya.”

“And, if I refuse, Mr. Dwalin?”

“Don’t refuse, lass.  I wouldn’t want to have to make ya.  We only want to question ya about the orc attack.”

“And, just who wants to know about that?”

“King Thorin, of course,” said Norag.

 


	4. First Impressions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter took on so many shapes and changes that it was the hardest thing I wrote thus far. I thought that if I concentrated on my other stories that this one would be easier, but it's not. Please be patient. I have no idea where this story is taking me. Reviews and maybe even some plot advice would be most welcome. Thank you.

Nyssa froze for a brief moment after hearing Thorin's name escape Dwalin's lips. She quickly composed herself hoping that Dwalin did not notice.

A noise from the crowd at the market place suddenly caught Nyssa's attention. Dwalin followed her gaze to the scene with the guards and the merchant before turning back to her. He eyed the honey cake in her hand, then smirked.

“The trouble in the market over there, that wouldna’ have anything ta do wit ya. Would it, lass?” he asked as he gestured to the crowd in the street.

Nyssa put on her best innocent look and shook her head. Norag slowly moved his hand to the hilt of his knife strapped to his belt. He waited for any quick movement from the human that justified pulling it. He did not trust her and wanted any excuse to bring her down.

“Well, lead the way to the healer’s house, lass. They're waiting,” Again, Dwalin gestured for her to move on. “Or, perhaps we call out ta those guards over there, maybe help sort out their troubles.”

Nyssa smiled, gave a slight nod to the dwarves and turned down the alleyway heading back to the healer’s house. The two dwarves followed behind her never taking their eyes off of her.

As they walked through the alley turning onto another street, Norag leaned toward Dwalin. Keeping his voice low, he expressed his dislike and distrust for the woman. Dwalin nodded in agreement but reminded his man that it was the king’s orders that they bring her to him.

Nyssa pretended not to hear their conversation but smiled nonetheless. They were being cautious, which is what she would do in their shoes. It is good that they are weary. If they treated her any other way, it would be her that felt unease, like she was walking into a trap.

They reached the healer’s house. Nyssa stopped at the steps and turned toward the two dwarves.

“Well, go on, lass,” ordered Dwalin.

“You said, ‘they're waiting.’ Who else is in there with your king?” she asked.

“Lord Bard of Dale, my brother Balin, advisor to our king, and an elf from the Woodland Realm.”

Again, Nyssa did not move. Hearing that an elf from Thranduil's kingdom wanted to see her was troublesome enough, ye, she recognized this as an opportunity to gain access to Erebor. If she could convince Thorin that she was useful to him in some way, he may open up the mountain to her.

There were a few obstacles in her way. Dwarves were not known for their trust in other races, nor were they as gullible as men. The elf might pose as a problem for as much as Thranduil wants those jewels, he would also like to see her fail. There was also a personal issue that she had with the dwarves of Erebor, particularly Thorin Oakenshield.

“I guess you leave me with very little choice, Master Dwarf. Shall we proceed?”

Nyssa gestured for Dwalin to lead the way, but the dwarf only smiled while standing rooted in his position like an immovable mountain. He motioned for her to go ahead of them.

_Like I thought, untrusting._

Nyssa entered the dealer’s house first and was directed into a large room where the Lords of the kingdoms had congregated. Lord Bard and a white haired dwarf dressed in red sat next to a long table to the left of the room. The elf stood by the table with the wine on the opposite side while a more majestic looking dwarf stood by the fireplace smoking his pipe. Judging by the way he presented himself, Nyssa could only guess that he was none other than Thorin, King Under the Mountain.

Nyssa entered the room just as all conversations stopped and focused their attentions on her. The white haired dwarf stood and immediately began his introductions.

_He is quite the diplomat._

“I am Balin, at your service,” he said with a bow. “This is Lord Bard of Dale, Ambassador Elion of the Woodland Realm, and Lord Thorin, King of Erebor. What is your name, my dear?”

Nyssa contemplated giving them a false name. Thranduil knew who she was instantly. Her reputation preceded her name quite often. If any of them knew who she was, her chances to enter Erebor would dwindle rapidly. In fact, the only part of Erebor she might see would be the inside of a dungeon cell.

“Analyn,” she said the first name that came to mind. A name she had not heard in many years.

She looked at Thorin when she spoke that name, and a feeling of anger washed over her. Thorin remained stoic with his face like hard stone. Did he know that she was lying? Does he even remember her and her family?

“Thank you for coming,” said Bard who nodded his head in respect.

“Oh, I was unaware that I had a choice,” replied Nyssa.

There was some slight grumbling from the other lords. Thorin smirked at her and turned back to watch the fire dance all over the logs in the fireplace. He was not impressed by her impertinence. Nyssa continued to stare but schooled her expressions to hide her hatred for the dwarf king.

“I apologize for my brother, my dear,” said Balin. “He can seem aggressively persuasive at times.”

_That's one way of putting it._

“How may I be of service to such a royal company?” Nyssa bowed to the men and smiled.

“We were told that you came across an orc party when you became injured. My brother, Dwalin, was tracking an orc trail when he found you trying to fight them off.”

“Yes. That is correct. I fail to see what you……..”

“What were you doing near the edge of the lake around our borders?” Thorin interrupted.

She never heard the King’s voice before. It was low pitched and dark, very rich for a man who was just over five feet tall. He rose to his full height when he spoke towering over her short form by an inch or two. She was very short for a human.

“I was merely passing through, my lord. I discovered a couple of orc scouts along the embankment and followed them. That was when I was discovered and had to fight for my life.”

“You were very lucky, my dear,” said Lord Bard. “We nearly lost you.”

“I thank you, my lords, and Mr. Dwalin for finding me,” Nyssa turned to Dwalin and smiled.

Dwalin nodded but said nothing. He felt uneasy with this human. She appeared on their land from what seemed like nowhere. They knew nothing about her except only what she had told them thus far. How could they possibly know if she were lying?

“Where did you come from, my dear?” asked Elion.

There was something about that elf that disturbed her. Part of it was the way he looked at her, as if he were studying a lesser species of animal. Nyssa made up her mind that she did not like him from the start.

“I come from the North, sir,” said Nyssa.

There was no use lying a out that. They would have noticed from her clothing.

“One of the Dunedain. What makes you think that we can trust a ranger?” said Thorin.

“I never asked for trust, my lord. You sent for me. I was ready to be on my way when your captain came to get me.”

“My king means no disrespect, my dear,” said Balin. The old dwarf stepped in when he saw his king become irritated.

“I understand, sir. A strange woman has entered your lands, and you are naturally weary of her. Yet, you cannot help but also be curious. Am I correct?” she asked.

The looks on the men's faces said it all. It was for that reason why she was brought before them. This was her chance.

“It seems that you have a problem, my lords. It has not been very long since you reclaimed your kingdoms, and your armies are not quite ready to defend what you have. Any moment now, there might be another army of orcs or men marching this way to take what you have. I can help you,” she said. Hopefully, it was convincing.

Thorin smirked at her proposal. The very idea that a woman ranger knew more about military tactics than a dwarf was ridiculous. Bard was more accepting, and Elion was entertained by the whole event.

“And, what can you do that a dwarf cannot?” asked Thorin in a sarcastic tone.

“It seems that the orc party would have overrun the city of Dale had I not come across them at that moment.  There is a weakness along your borders. I can help you find these weaknesses and strengthen your perimeters.”

Thorin remained unconvinced as was Dwalin. Elion smiled at the girl knowing that she was having quite a show of gaining trust in a room full of stubborn, ill-mannered, tempered dwarves. One must move mountains to convince them of anything.

He would have let her talk all day, expect that he knew what his king had tasked her to do. He also knew what the king desired and that time was running short. He decided to help this little thief, and the only way was through Bard.

“Perhaps, my lord, we should consider her offer,” said Elion to Bard. “She is a ranger, after all.”

Bard sat in silence while the dwarves around him were grumbling. Thorin turned his attention back to the fire while Balin disagreed with Elion. Nyssa crossed her arms and watched the men argue with each other.

“You should ask yourselves, my lords,” she interrupted. All the arguing ceased, and the attention turned on her. “Can you afford to decline the help when it is offered to you freely.”

Bard was the first to speak after there was a moment of silence in the room. All the men were considering the proposal except Thorin who stood like an oak staring at Nyssa. His eyes made her uncomfortable, like he could see into her soul.

“You are correct, my dear,” said Bard. “We have spent two summers rebuilding, and we are still not at our full strength to take on another army like the one fought on that fateful day. I cannot speak for the kingdom of Erebor, but as the Lord of the city of Dale, I say we give it a go.”

Balin glanced at Thorin who nodded ever slightly. He turned to Nyssa and offered the support of Erebor. Nyssa smiled and bowed in return.

As she turned to leave the men to their work, Dwalin took a step toward her. She stopped and stared at the dwarf as he motioned for her to pass ahead of him. When she walked by, he leaned into her and whispered so only she could hear.

“I don’t know who ya are, lass, but I'm sure yer not who ya say ya are. Just know that wherever ya go or whatcha do, I'll be watchin'.”

And, with that, he and Norag left the room.

 


	5. An Evening with the King

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story is developing slowly. My problem is that I have more than one story I am currently writing, so the process will be long. However, I do want to finish this story, so I am asking for patience. I am open to many suggestions, and reviews are most welcome. Thank you for my readers. You help drive me to finish my work.

Nyssa was escorted back to her room by Iona once the meeting was over. The healers believed that she was not fully recovered and therefore needed more rest, at least another day or two.

She counted herself lucky to have been granted the chance to stay in Dale. She had a long way to go to convince the dwarves to let her into Erebor. They still did not trust her. She just hoped that there was enough time to gain their trust, enter Erebor, and complete her task to Thranduil's satisfaction.

Iona hustled her back to her room and verbally forced her to strip down into a night shirt. She crawled back into bed with Iona still scolding her for leaving in the first place.

Nyssa did not realize how tired she was until her head hit the pillow. She was asleep before Iona finished pulling the blankets over her body. Iona was thankful that she did not have to put a sleeping draft into a cup of tea to get her patient to stay put. She folded the ranger's clothes and left the room.

It was a few hours later when she woke up again. The room was much darker than before. Nyssa rose to a seated position and wiped the sleep from her eyes. She glanced out the window and saw that the sun was low over the horizon. There was only an hour of daylight left.

She felt hungry again and thought about calling for some food but decided against it. Since she was now a guest in Dale by order of Lord Bard, she would get something to eat at the tavern.

Nyssa got out of bed and dressed in her clothes. She was still a little weak and light-headed, so she had to take care with her movements. She did not want to spend another week in bed. She was running out of time.

Nyssa carefully slipped out of her room like she did before and left the house. She took the same route as before and found herself back into the marketplace. The street had emptied of most of the carts and the people.

She wandered around taking in the sights while also getting her bearings. She stopped at an unfinished wall and looked out over the lands. The stone wall was left over from the battle when a troll rammed his head into the structure to create an entrance. The people filled in the hole and rebuilt the wall as best as they could, but there were still signs of the destruction left behind.

From her perch, Nyssa could see all the land surrounding the city. It was a high structure and a good place for a watchtower. Why had no one thought to build one at this station?

_They are still fishermen of the lake. They will never be keepers of a city._

She smirked as she looked out over the lands with the last bit of daylight left. To the far left of her she could see the gates of Erebor. A stream the size of a small creek ran along the front that emptied into the lake far ahead of her view. Even the forests were visible, although she did not think that the borders of Mirkwood stretched that far.

The sun was setting over the waters giving the lake a beautiful orange and red glow. It was an eerie reminder of the night that Smaug visited Laketown. She wondered if the people still held the scars of that night after all of these years.

She watched the sun set and darkness cover the lands before she stepped away from the wall and continued on her way. The marketplace was completely empty but for a yellow glow from around the corner.

There were music and laughter heard from the streets as she walked toward the light. She turned the corner and saw that the tavern was already filling with people, man and dwarf alike.

Nyssa entered the establishment pushing her way through the sea of people who gathered to watch a young dwarf dance on top of a table. He had long black hair and the early growth of a beard that was not quite full. He had a gray tunic covered in brown dirt and beer stains. It was clear that he had quite a few before she even walked in.

Nyssa walked over to the bar and called for the bartender. The man was a heavy burly creature with a thick beard and thick dark brown hair. If it was not for his enormous height, Nyssa would have sworn he was a dwarf.

“Who is that dwarf singing on top of that table?” she asked after ordering ale for herself.

“That's the youngest Durin, Lol I. ‘E comes every night and sings a diddy fer ‘is supper,” said the bartender.

The bartender poured Nyssa’s drink, and she threw a couple of coins on the bar. She took her pint and made her way around the crowd toward an area near the fireplace. She stopped to scan the room for a secluded place to sit.

“Analyn! This is a surprise,” said a baritone voice behind her.

Nyssa’s eyes grew large as she slowly turned around to come face to face with the King under the Mountain. Thorin was seated at a table facing her back side. His eyes were like the cold blue ice caps of the Misty Mountains. He took a drink from his tankard and motioned for her to sit at his table. Nyssa got the impression that it was not a request.

“Are you going somewhere?” he asked.

“Why would you ask that?” she asked feigning innocence.

“I distinctly remember the healer telling you that you need at least two days of rest. Yet, you are here against the healer's instructions. Are you going somewhere?”

“Maybe I just find lying in bed all day very boring. I am always in the mood for good company.” She smiled.

Thorin smirked at her flirtatious banter. She was quite sure of herself for a human. Most human females that he encountered during his exile were always meek and quiet, like delicate flowers that would break apart in a breeze.

Dwarves were warriors by nature, and they loved a good fight. Their dwarrowdams were equals in both strength and mind. It was only because there were so few of them that the dwarves fiercely protected their females, not because they were physically incapable of fighting.

“A tavern is not the ideal place for a lady,” said Thorin taking another drink.

“I would not describe myself as a lady, my lord. Besides, my stomach informed me that it needs some nourishment. I have not eaten since this morning.”

“I am certain that the healers would not have let you starve. They would have brought you something.”

“And, yet, if I had taken supper in my room, I would have missed the sweet presence of your company, my lord.” Nyssa smiled before taking a drink from her own tankard.

“Then you shall eat with me.” Thorin waved to a barmaid and ordered a serving of bread and meat along with another round of ale for themselves.

“I assume you want to learn about my family, where I came from,” said Nyssa.

“I am curious how a human woman who never entered our lands before know more about our defenses than we do. We are very capable of defending our lands.”

Nyssa could see that he getting defensive with her, yet she could also see great pride in his statement. Dwarves were notoriously prideful. Perhaps, she could use that.

“I would never question the capabilities of you or your kin, my lord, but your numbers are still too few to defend both Erebor and Dale. I was walking along the outer wall this evening and noticed that the marketplace is still as vulnerable as it was during the battle. These people are fishermen, my lord, not warriors. They have the heart but not the skill. You can teach them that, and this land will grow in mighty strength again.”

Nyssa could see that Thorin understood and saw the truth in what she said. She saw that this was a first step toward getting the dwarf king to trust her.

Thorin leaned over the table to get closer to Nyssa. He wanted to be very clear of what he said next.

“You have quite a tongue, my dear. I see why Lord Bard is taken with you. It will take far more than that to convince me.”

_Very clever, Lord Thorin. It seems I have my work cut out for me._

“Very good, my lord. I understand your hesitation to trust a stranger. You are an excellent leader for your people. I suppose I should leave in the morning. I thank you and Lord Bard for the hospitality, but I should continue on my way.”

She rose from her chair and started walking past him toward the door. She stopped moving when Thorin grabbed her wrist and told her to sit back down. At first, she thought about pulling her wrist from his grasp. She would play like she was offended by his behavior, but then she looked in his eyes. He was a dwarf who was used to people following his orders. She could not say what would happen if she defied him. She calmly moved back to her previous seat. He slowly released his grip on her wrist.

“I told you to have a meal with me. If you want me to trust you, than you need to learn proper manners,” Thorin said. “We will eat and drink tonight. Come morning, I will listen to your proposal.”

Nyssa nodded her head in agreement. It was a start. Tonight, they would eat and make small talk. Perhaps, this was his way of sizing her up. Tomorrow, she would have to come up with a genius plan to get into Erebor. Time was running out.


	6. Getting Personal

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story is finally starting to take shape. I've been at it for almost a year, and now since I've passed my first writer's block, I can see a path to follow. I hope it is entertaining to you. Reviews are very welcome. It helps with my motivation.

Both Thorin and Nyssa spent the remainder of the evening feasting and studying each other. They had light-hearted conversations on simple subjects being careful not to divulge anything too personal about the other.

Nyssa knew this was the common practice among dwarves. They were taught since birth that their ways were of no business of others. However, Nyssa guarded her past for different reasons which made it harder for her to share anything personal with anyone, let alone the King Under the Mountain.

The problem was that he was the very person she needed to share her past with if she had any hope of gaining his trust. But, her past as a thief was well known throughout Middle Earth, especially with the dwarves. Thorin would know who she was and her family as well. She would be thrown in the dungeons just for that alone.

She watched him from across the table. He was quite handsome, for a dwarf. He was a hard man, maybe because of the hard life he was forced to live after the dragon attacked Erebor. He lived as a commoner for 60 years, wandering the hills like a nomad before setting in the Blue Mountains.

She studied his build and imagined him as a simple blacksmith. What would it have been like to watch him work, pounding metal on an anvil, molding it into something entirely different from what it once was? His arm muscles rippling with as his hammer connected with the metal.

_Snap out of it, you fool! Never forget who he was and what he did to your family._

If life after Smaug was difficult, Nyssa thought that he more than deserved it. As she watched him eat, she was reminded of her father and was now more than determined to steal that jewel. She would see this king lose his position on the throne and finally have her own revenge.

His voice snapped her out of her thoughts when he asked her a question. Of course, it had to be a question she could not answer truthfully.

“Where is your family?” Thorin asked.

“I am sorry, my lord?” Nyssa gently shook her head to focus back to reality.

“I asked about your family. You mentioned that earlier, and you are right. I do want to know. If they are not with you, than where are they?”

“I have none, my lord. My family died years ago when orcs attacked a caravan traveling to Gondor,” she lied.

“I see. So, that is why you travel alone. Where is your home?”

“Again, my lord, I have none.”

“So, who is after you? You must be running from something. That must be why you have no man to look after you or no children to care for.”

Nyssa’s eyes narrowed. She took offense to his statement that she was incapable of surviving on her own. She was about to say something when she stopped. He was trying to get her to admit that she was not honest with him. That someone was chasing her. Perhaps, she could use that.

“You assume that I am incapable of surviving on my own in the wild. I am not a helpless female, my lord. I can take care of myself and defend myself if need be,” she said.

She took a drink from her tankard and stared back at those cold blue eyes of his.  She looked down at her plate of food and sighed. The stress of the entire moment came through on her face. She looked defeated.

“If you must know, my lord, I have been in hiding for many years. My family was once very prominent people, but they were targets for political reasons. I was a child when it happened. I was told all my life that it was an orc attack, but I never believed it.”

Thorin watched her carefully as she told her little tale. He was trying to find some kind of deception, but he was having no luck. If she was lying, she was very good at it.

“How old were you when this had happened?” he asked.

“Old enough to be very observant, my lord,” she answered. “ Now, I wander the wilderness with no home of my own. I never stay for very long in one place for fear that I might be discovered.”

“Is Analyn even your real name?” he asked.

Nyssa paused before answering that question. No, Analyn was not her real name, but it was a name she knew very well. It was her mother's name. It was a name she had not heard in a long time. Both Nyssa and her father had reputations that were well known in the provinces, but her mother was never a thief. She knew that Thorin would not recognize that name if she used it.

“It is my name that I was told to use many years ago. My real name has been long forgotten. I wish I could find a husband and start a family as you said, my lord. But, I fear that will not be my fate. It is a curse that I will forever travel the world, in search of a home that may never exist for me.”

Nyssa hoped that her little speech might appeal to Thorin’s compassion, if the dwarf king had any. She looked up and watched his eyes for any sign of remorse, but the dwarf king remained stoic. She lowered her eyes again and took another drink from her tankard. It was his turn to say something.

Thorin continued to watch her as she told her story. There was something about her that intrigued him. She was very handsome for a human, but dwarf women were quite different. By dwarf standards, she was not very pretty, no beard, very thin. She looked like she could barely lift a sword, much less fight with one. So, what was it about her that had his attention?

When she finished her story, Thorin could not tell if any of it was true. He knew that it would be a mistake to trust her, but it would be a bigger mistake to simply let her go. If she was up to no good, it was better to keep her close and watch her every move then to have her in the shadows plotting against him.

Thorin’s curiosity was peaked. He wanted to know what she was up to and who sent her. It was no coincidence that a mysterious woman with no real past would come to Erebor just when they were trying to rebuild the once mighty kingdom. Someone sent her with an agenda. He was now determined to know what that was.

They made small conversation throughout the evening. Nyssa eventually felt comfortable in Thorin’s presence, almost forgetting about her family’s past with the dwarf king.

She was the youngest sibling and only an infant when her father was accused of theft in the lonely mountain. Her mother and siblings were banished from the entire kingdom, including Dale, while her father rotted in the dungeons. He was forced to do hard labor for his remaining years. She never saw her father again.

In order to survive, she and her siblings became that which her father was accused of, thieves. She took care of her family as best she could until her mother took ill after hearing about the attack on Erebor. She fell into despair at the thought of Arik dying alone in those dungeons and never even received a proper burial. Nyssa took comfort in the knowledge that at least her mother's passing was quiet and peaceful, surrounded by her children.

Nyssa tried to keep the family together, but the effort was futile. Her sister died of an illness that nearly wiped out an entire village. Her oldest brother was arrested and taken to prison. The last time she heard about him, he had died there. She was the last of her family line.

Nyssa joined a traveling group of gypsies who taught her everything about the art of thieving. Over the years, she perfected her craft and even her reputation as a master thief. A town magistrate gave her the name, Princess of Thieves. She was both flattered and dismayed by the name. It gave her a giddy feeling, to imagine that her skills were that prominent that she earned a royal title. The bad side of that name was that it was an easy thing to remember for travelers. They would carry the name and the stories with them from town to town until she noticed that folks knew who she was before she said anything. That was very bad for a professional thief. Secrecy was essential in her line of work. It forced her to live a solitary reclusive existence.

Nyssa watched as the dwarf king took a drink from his tankard. She watched his eyes and thought that here was the man who destroyed her family. He destroyed her future. Who knew what she would have become if it weren’t for his accusations against her father. She could take his life right now as they sat there, but death would have been a release. She wanted him to suffer. She thought about the Arkenstone, the king’s jewel. The seven dwarf kingdoms swore an oath to the king who held the jewel. If taking that jewel took the throne from her enemy, than she would do it.

The crashing sound of a young dwarf falling to the floor brought Nyssa out of her thoughts. The table had broken under the weight of Kili and brought the rambunctious dwarf to the ground. Both Nyssa and Thorin turned their attentions to the sound. Nyssa began laughing as Thorin merely rolled his eyes and slammed his tankard on the table. He stood from his chair and walked over to his nephew.

He stood over Kili and watched as the young dwarf laughed and poured what little ale was left in his tankard into his mouth. He laughed with all the other patrons around him until the bartender stomped from behind the bar toward the crowd.

“Oh, hello Uncle. Care for some ale?” Kili asked as he looked up to see Thorin towering over him.

Thorin sighed and took a step toward Kili. He grabbed the young prince by the back of his collar and dragged Kili to his feet. It took a second for Kili to find his footing. He would have fallen over and took his uncle with him had it not been for Thorin’s impressive strength. Thorin helped to steady his nephew just as the bartender pushed through the crowd to face them.

“Me lord, that’s three times yer nephew ‘as disrupted me tavern. I want ‘em out of ‘ere.”

“You are talking to a royal prince of Erebor and my kin. I’ll thank you to judge your next words to me very carefully.”

The bartender was taken back as Thorin stepped between Kili and the tall man before them. Despite Thorin’s height compared to the large, burly bartender, the dwarf king’s appearance commanded respect out of that man and everyone else in that room. Nyssa slowly placed a hand on the hilt of her dagger sheathed in her belt in case a fight ensued. She watched as the bartender took a step back from the dwarf king and buckled under his intimidation.

“I will pay for the damages to your tavern,” said Thorin. He motioned for a dwarf guard who stepped out of the shadows to be ready at the king’s command. “Take my nephew home, and see that he goes to bed.”

The guard nodded and hooked his arm under Kili’s to help him out of the room. Kili became irritated and started to struggle until Thorin gave him a stern look. It was a look that Kili knew well. He stopped his struggling and allowed the guard to lead him through the crowd and out the door. Thorin turned his attention to Nyssa who was also making her way to the exit.

As the guard made it to the door, the elf named Tauriel was passing by and heard the crash. She stepped inside to see what happened, and that was when she came face to face with the dwarf prince. Both of them had a look of surprise on their faces.

Tauriel turned to leave when Kili called out to her.

“Tauriel, wait. Come back.”

She pushed through the crowd of onlookers and escaped before the drunken prince could catch her. The dwarf guard ran after his charge. He grabbed Kili by the arm once again before Kili stumbled to the ground.

Nyssa witnessed the exchange between Kili and Tauriel. She became curious as to what that was about. Did the dwarf prince have an interest in the red-headed elf healer? She shook her head clear of that thought. Every race in Middle Earth knew the hatred dwarves and elves had from one another. But, if that were true, maybe she could use that.

“Analyn,” said Thorin from behind. His voice brought Nyssa from her thoughts. “I will consider your offer. I will call on you at the healer’s house tomorrow. You will hear my answer.”

With that, Thorin pushed through the crowd past her and into the street. She watched him disappear in the night and smiled. It seemed that she finally had the King of Erebor in her grasp.

 


	7. Brotherly Compassion

After Thorin left the tavern, Nyssa turned her attention to the other dwarves still standing in the middle of the street. The guard was having quite a time holding up the young Prince of Erebor until she saw another dwarf approach them and took the other arm of the dark-haired drunkard. This dwarf was similarly dressed like the prince. He had blond locks and small braids extended from his short beard. Even in the darkness, Nyssa could tell that this dwarf was heavily armed with various knives and daggers all over his person.

She continued to watch from a corner of the tavern at how this dwarf showed a brotherly affection toward the prince. He spoke something to the guard that Nyssa could not hear. The guard released Kili and walked away leaving the two dwarves alone.

Nyssa moved closer but stayed in the shadows to observe the dwarves more closely. Kili was very drunk but still conscious as he leaned on the blond dwarf for support. They continued walking toward the inn when the young prince spoke.

“I saw her, Fili. She went away again, but I saw her, brother,” he said through the slurs in his voice.

_So, these dwarves are brothers. How interesting!_

“She's still here because she still loves me,” he continued with a smile across his lips.

Kili's feet gave away, and he stumbled to the ground. He would have taken his brother with him, but Fili let his brother drop, so long as he did not hurt himself. Fili bent down to grab Kili’s arm and pull him up again when he sensed that they were not alone.

A shadow moved out of the corner of his eye. Someone was following them. Fili held his position and slowly pulled a dagger from his upper left breast holster and held it firmly in his right hand. Kili had finally passed out in the street.

Nyssa had moved to get a better position to hear the dwarves' conversation when one of them fell to the ground. The other one bent over but stopped moving. His actions were very strange until she saw the glint of a knife's edge in the moonlight.

_He has seen me._

Nyssa held up her hands in surrender and slowly stepped from her shadowy hiding place.

“Stay calm, Master Dwarf. I mean you no harm,” she said.

Fili turned toward the voice and saw that it was a human woman. It was the woman ranger that his uncle spoke of. What was she doing following him and his brother in the dark?

“You would do well never to sneak up on a dwarf, my lady. Why are you here?” he asked.

“Forgive me, my lord, I mean no offense, but I saw this young dwarf make quite a show of himself in the tavern. I thought you could use some help.” Nyssa lowered her hands and smiled.

Fili sheathed his knife and stared at the woman before him. She was too tiny to help carry a sack of flour let alone a full-sized dwarf. She seemed genuine, but there was something about her that he did not trust. Perhaps, it was the fact that she followed them, but then again, humans are naturally curious creatures. And, dwarves were so intimidating; she did not know how to approach them.

Fili grinned and gestured for her to come closer. He wanted to see how strong this little sprite could be.

“We are staying at the inn. Are you able to help get my brother to his room? I can manage on my own. Dwarves are stronger than humans, and I do not wish to overburden you,” he said with a smile.

Nyssa gave him a half smirk and reached down to grasp Kili's upper arm. She bet her knees and pulled as hard as she could but to no avail. She took a breath and tried again but could not budge the dwarf prince. Fili stood by with his arms crossed and giggled. Nyssa straightened to her full height and glared at him.

“So it would seem that you are right. I cannot do this on my own. I will assist you, but I am afraid that you will need to do the heavy lifting.”

Fili smiled and reached down to grab his brother’s arm. He pulled Kili into a sitting position and slapped his brother awake. Kili reacted by nearly punching Fili only to miss and fall back to the ground.

Fili sighed and reached for his brother again. Nyssa stood away from the commotion to avoid any stray punches. When she felt that it was safe again, she moved to the other side of the drunken dwarf and grabbed his arm to help him up.

Both she and Fili managed to get Kili into a sitting position again. This time, Fili bent down further and hoisted his brother over his shoulder and stood carrying Kili to the inn like a sack of grain. Nyssa fell into step with the blond dwarf as he made his way down the nearly deserted street. Every so often, Fili would glance at his female companion with curiosity.

“Tell me your name, my lady,” he said.

“I am called Analyn, my lord,” she answered.

“Pretty name for a woman who enjoys lurking in the shadows,” he said. “You never really answered my question earlier. Why did you follow us?”

“As I said, I saw this dwarf in the tavern. He had broken a table from dancing on it and nearly injured himself. He, obviously, needs help, and I wanted to offer my services.”

“Well, your services are very gallant, although I am quite capable of caring for my brother.” Fili glanced toward her, studying her for a moment. Her actions could not possibly be from kindness alone. There had to be some other motivation for her behavior.

“Most humans do not care so much about a drunken dwarf, and it was not like my brother was without assistance. I fail to see why you are still here,” he said.

Nyssa thought for a moment before answering him. She did not want to explain her relationship with the dwarf king to his nephew. She remembered Kili’s encounter with the elf outside of the tavern, the same elf staying at the healer’s house. It was as good an excuse as any to tell the dwarf prince. Plus, she was also curious about the relationship between the dark-haired dwarf and the elf.

“I saw a red-haired elf outside of the tavern. She seemed surprised and frightened by this young dwarf. I confess that their behavior toward each other was most intriguing, so I followed him. That was when I saw you.”

She turned her eyes toward the blond dwarf to study his reaction. His face was stern, but his eyes had an emotional sadness to them. He turned his head toward her and stopped walking for a brief moment. His mouth fell open like he wanted to say something but closed it. He said nothing and resumed his journey. Nyssa felt like she hit a nerve when she mentioned the elf. Kili remained unconscious and unaware of the conversation.

“I met that red-haired elf at the healer’s house. Her name is Tauriel. She saved my life,” Nyssa added.

“The relationship between that elf and my brother are personal,” he said in a low voice.

“I am sorry. It was wrong of me to intrude,” Nyssa said with her eyes cast down as they walked.

Fili turned his eyes toward her while she kept her eyes straight ahead. He watched her for a moment trying to understand this strange woman. She seemed genuinely embarrassed by her inquiries. He smiled to himself as they continued walking in silence.

They had finally reached the inn. It was very late, but there were still candlelight burning in some of the windows. Nyssa allowed Fili to go first, carrying Kili to their room on the second floor.

Nyssa opened the door to a darkened room with two beds large enough to accommodate the dwarves large frame. Fili laid his brother down while Nyssa lit a candle for light. She turned around to see Fili pulling KilI into a sitting position on the bed to get his coat and various weapons off of him. She moved forward to hold him steady while Fili peeled the coat from his brother's arms. Once that task was done, Fili relieved his brother of his boots before pushing him back into the bed.

Nyssa pulled the blanket over him while Fili walked toward the fireplace to light a fire. The room seemed quite cold. The fire would provide both warmth and light.

Nyssa placed the blanket over Kili’s shoulders when his hand snaked out from underneath and grabbed Nyssa’s wrist. He gently, but firmly, held it for a second before he opened his eyes to look at her. Kili stared into Nyssa’s eyes and smiled.

“Tauriel, you came back to me. Amralime´, you came back like you promised.”

He reached up to caress her cheek. Fili heard his brother's voice and turned back only to see him close his eyes and pass out. Nyssa carefully disentangled herself from his grasp and moved away. She turned to see that Fili was still sitting in front of the lit fireplace watching the scene between them.

“My brother expresses his emotions more openly sometimes,” he whispered. “He is still quite young when it comes to matters of the heart.”

Nyssa slowly walked forward and sat in a chair facing the fire. She watched as the fire light danced around the room and on the dwarf in front of her. She studied his face and noticed a hint of sadness in his eyes. He cared very much for his brother, but maybe there was more to this than she understood.

“I understand that it is none of my business to pry, but you seem rather sad. I once had a family. I had older siblings that took care of me until I reached an age when I could take care of them. Now, I am on my own.”

She peered into the fire and allowed the memory to invade her mind for a short moment. Fili watched her face and could see the distant faraway expression. Her eyes turned sad, and he could almost see tears welling up in her eyes until she blinked them away and took a breath. She turned back to him and smiled.

“Your brother is lucky to have you. “

Fili smiled at her words. Yes, Kili is the lucky one to have such a brother. Fili could relate to his brother’s plight, having a very similar problem of his own. They could rely on each other’s strength to get through the nights when loneliness was a troubling companion.

“It is getting rather late. I should be getting back to the healer’s house,” Nyssa said as she stood from her chair. Fili also stood and followed her out of the room, leaving Kili to sleep the night away.

Before Nyssa left, she reached into her coat pocket and pulled out a small pouch of herbs. She handed it to Fili.

“When your brother wakes, you should make him drink a tea made from these herbs. They are peppermint leaves. They will help settle his stomach.”

Fili smiled and placed the pouch back into her palm. He held her hand for a brief moment observing how warm, yet calloused, it was. No doubt, her hands were made that way through hard years of living on her own.

“I thank you for your help, but dwarves do not require such remedies. Dwarves have stomachs like iron. We know how to survive a drunken stupor.”

Nyssa bowed her head slightly and left. Fili watched her walk away with curiosity. He had only met one other human who was this helpful in his lifetime, and she was his sweetest happiness while also his greatest sorrow.

He turned to Kili and watched him sleep, thinking that tonight Kili had the better idea. Fili closed the door and walked toward a cabinet at the far side of the room. He opened it and pulled out a bottle of ale. He decided to join his brother by drinking until he too passed out.

 


	8. Making Friends

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the slow update. Between my work in theatre and working on updating my other stories, there never seems to be enough hours in the day. This story is a slow process, but I am determined to finish it. I find reviews to be a great motivator. Please drop me a line and let me know what you think. I would love to hear from you.

Nyssa woke when the first rays of the sun began streaming through her window. At first, she wanted to pull the blanket over her head and fall back asleep, but then she remembered that the dwarves were going back to Erebor that morning. If she wanted to gain access to the mountain kingdom, she needed to be ready to go when they did.

Nyssa did not sleep well last night. The combination of the ale and dining with the dwarf king, whom she hated, had old nightmares revisit her throughout the night. The spirits of her family haunted her each time she closed her eyes until peace had finally come an hour before sunrise.

There was a knock on the door just as Nyssa rose from the bed and reached for her tunic. A woman’s voice was on the other side asking for permission to enter.

“Yes, come in,” shouted Nyssa while trying to put on her pants before the door opened.

The red-headed elf opened the door and stood in the doorway. She had a stern look as she briefly stared at Nyssa before she spoke.

“The dwarf king has requested that you join him and his company in the dining hall,” she said.

“Thank you. I will be ready shortly,” replied Nyssa.

Tauriel remained in the doorway and watched her like she was watching a lamb grazing in a field. Her behavior was making Nyssa uncomfortable.

_What is she staring at?_

“Is there anything else?” asked Nyssa with a little irritation in her voice.

“You were at the tavern with a dark-haired dwarf.” She said.

“Yes, I went there for supper. I saw him there, nothing more. Why? Is he important to you?”

“You must hurry. You do not want to keep the dwarf king waiting.” She emphasized the ‘dwarf king' with what sounded like distain. “He has taken a liking to you, even though you are a known thief.”

Tauriel turned on her heels and walked into the hallway leaving Nyssa in complete shock. Nyssa called out to Tauriel and hurried out the door to catch her.

“Why did you say that?” Nyssa’s voice sounded breathless and anxious.

“I know who you are,” Tauriel said in a hushed tone. “Your family’s reputation is well known to the elves of the Woodland Realm. Fortunately for you, neither the men nor the dwarves know it.”

“Why have you not said anything to anyone and have me arrested?” Nyssa asked trying to sound calm.

Nyssa’s nerves were a mixture of fear and anxiety. She was so close to earning the dwarves' trust. Did this elf tell anyone about her? What will she find if she were to go to the dining hall? Would there be guards to escort her, not to the mountain, but to the dungeons?

“I have no love for the King Under the Mountain, so I care nothing if he were relieved of a few of his precious gold coins,” Tauriel said with disdain. “Besides, it matters not. The king is not a fool. He would eventually discover your secrets. It would be wise for you to leave these lands now while you still can.”

Tauriel turned to leave, but Nyssa called her name again. She stopped again and turned to face her.

Nyssa could not take the chance of the elf keeping her word. If she was like her woodland kin, Nyssa would expect the guards to be waiting for her in the dining hall anyway despite what she just said. Nyssa needed to play on her feelings for the dark-haired dwarf prince to get more information, maybe even a little sympathy.

“You say you have no love for the dwarf king. Is it because of your feelings for the dark-haired prince?” she asked.

Tauriel's expressions changed from defiant to surprised. She stood her ground and did not move. What was this human woman up to? She knew better than to trust a thief, and this person was not the first to be tempted by the riches of the mountain. Many had tried, but none were successful.

“The dwarf king is much like his kin, greedy, heartless, possessive and untrusting. Why do you think that I would have anything to do with a Son of Durin? You are wrong.”

“I noticed the look on your face when you saw him in the street. That was not a look of contempt, and you are right. I also believe the dwarf king is heartless. He is the problem that stands between you and the prince,” said Nyssa.

Tauriel listened carefully to Nyssa’s rants but could not deny that she loved the dwarf prince. She gave up her home, friends, her life in the Greenwood, all for him. Yet, she gained nothing for it. She helped save his life at Ravenhill during the battle, and she was still living as an exiled elf.

She took up residence in the healer’s house in Dale to be close to Kili. She even entertained thoughts that he would leave his uncle and his royal position to be with her. They would travel Middle Earth together and find a home of their own. But, as the days turned to months and years, Tauriel knew that her dreams were just that, dreams.

Tauriel had built a life for herself in Dale. She made acquaintances in the city and a useful position as a healer. She avoided Kili whenever she could. She knew that he spent most days in the tavern.

When she saw him walking along the streets or in the marketplace, she would turn the other way and hide. She had managed most of the time to stay out of sight, but last night was an exception.

“Why are you telling me this?” asked Tauriel.

“I can help you. The dwarf prince spoke of you last night. For a brief moment, he thought that I was you.” Nyssa smiled. “He cares for you, a great deal.”

“I do not believe you.” Tears began forming in Tauriel's eyes. “Kili has had years to come to me, to prove that he loves me, and he did nothing. He made his choice, and I have made mine.”

“You must still love him, or you would have moved on. Why do you stay if not for him?”

Tauriel really had no answer to that question. She did not know herself.

“As I said before, leave and do not come back to these lands.” Tauriel turned and walked away quickly leaving Nyssa to stand in the hallway alone.

Nyssa said a quick prayer that Tauriel would not tell her secret and went back inside her room to finish dressing. After all, she must not be late for the king.

As Nyssa closed the door of her room behind her, another presence stepped from the shadows into the hallway. After witnessing the conversation between the two women, he smiled before returning to his own room.

An hour after her visit from Tauriel, Nyssa entered the dining hall and was welcomed with a lot of shouting and singing from the many dwarves who were having their breakfasts. There were dwarves and men seated all around the room, each to their own group. At the far side of the room, there was a long table with both dwarves and men seated around it. The kings and their advisors, as well as their Captains of the guard, were seated there.

Thorin’s nephews were the first to see Nyssa as she entered the room. Fili and Kili waved for her to join them at their table. They were seated with the other dancing dwarves away from the humans.

Nyssa smiled and walked toward them. Fili stood from his chair and motioned for her to be seated in the chair between. Nyssa bowed to them and obliged, squeezing into the small space between the brothers.

“My Lady Analyn,” said Fili. “How nice of you to join us.”

Kili smiled at the way his brother teased the ranger. Nyssa laughed at Fili's antics as he sat down in his chair and passed the bread basket to her with a smile. Nyssa broke off a large piece with her fingers. She picked at it, pulling smaller bite-sized pieces to place in her mouth while she looked around the room.

Her eyes stopped on the King Under the Mountain at the far table. He had been watching her since she first entered the room. His stern sapphire gaze held her captive as they stared at each other for a handful of seconds until Nyssa tore her eyes away.

For a fleeting moment, she could have sworn that she saw a smirk on those lips as she looked away. She would give anything to wipe that smile from his face.

Nyssa ignored Thorin’s watchful eyes and concentrated on the two princes, laughing and enjoying their stories and attentions, especially Fili's. She was so attentive in a tale he was telling about Kili, Dwalin, and a practical joke with a goat, she did not notice one of the dwarf guards walked toward her. He stood at attention by her chair and waited until she acknowledged him before he spoke.

“My lord, King Thorin, has requested your presence at the training field, my lady,” he said and continued to stand beside her as if to escort her to the destination.

Nyssa leaned back in her chair, crossed her arms at her chest, and glanced over toward Thorin who was also watching what she would do. The dwarf king stared at her intently. It was almost intimidating which sent a slight shiver through her body.

The smirk on her face slowly fell and was replaced with a hard glare. She could feel the smoldering anger in the pit of her stomach. She could understand why. Perhaps it was the look he was giving her, like an alpha wolf trying to show its dominance over a new pup.

Nyssa wanted nothing more than to wipe that look off his face. If this were a challenge to test her strength to be worthy to grace the halls of Erebor, then she was happy to oblige him. She would even find enjoyment from it.

“Is that so?” asked Nyssa with her eyes never leaving his. “Tell his Majesty that I will meet him there as soon as I have finished my breakfast.”

The dwarf guard left her side to inform his king her answer. The two princes stared at her in both shock and a little amusement. This human girl was quite a spitfire to agree to fight their uncle.

Thorin was an accomplished warrior with decades of battle experience. To fight him in a battle was suicide, and to fight him in training was embarrassment. Nevertheless, it would be entertaining to watch what she could do.

“Analyn, are you sure you wish to do this? There have been many warriors who could not bring down our uncle,” said Kili.

“I believe your uncle wishes to see what I can do. If that is what he wants, than I shall be happy to give it to him,” she said with confidence.

Nyssa picked up a piece of cheese with some bread and began to eat. She smiled before she stood from her chair.

“I shall enjoy this. Are you boys coming?” she asked with a grin.

Nyssa turned on her heels and left the room to fetch her weapons. The two princes looked at each other and followed her out. Thorin watched all three of them leave the hall and smiled. This girl was very intriguing, but he could fathom why. He had already decided it was best to keep her close in order to watch and study her more intently. She was a mystery he was determined to solve.


	9. Proving Her Worth

Nyssa left the dining hall with her head held high in both confidence and pride. She had a sudden burst of energy as she walked back to the healer’s house to gather her weapons and belongings before going to the training field.

The moment she entered her room at the healer’s house was when it finally hit her what she agreed to. She felt a sudden surge of anxiety and needed to sit down before she collapsed on the floor. What was she thinking? She had let her temper and her pride make a choice that could jeopardize her chances to get into Erabor. If she lost the fight, would King Thorin still let her join the group traveling back to the mountain?

Nyssa closed her eyes and took a deep breath. What was she worried about? She trained with some of the best rangers of the Dunedain. Surely she could hold her own with an aging dwarf king. The dwarves had not been in a real fight since the battle at the gates of the great mountain years ago. She would bet money that he was as rusty at fighting as he was displaying proper manners.

Nyssa found her confidence again and opened her eyes. She gathered her things together as well as her weapons. Whether she was going to Erebor or another destination, she was not planning to return to this room.

Nyssa entered the hallway and closed the door. She walked down the stairs to the main room where she saw the young princes loitering. It was a surprise at first before she concluded that Thorin may have sent them to make sure she did not change her mind and run away.

When Fili saw her descending the stairs, he smiled. Kili seemed more distracted, looking around the room at all the faces that walked passed them. He followed his brother’s gaze a few seconds later and smiled in kind. 

Nyssa returned the smiles with one of her own as she walked toward them. These princes were beginning to grow on her. They reminded her of happier times with her own brothers. Her smile faded when her memories changed, and the fate of her family returned to haunt her again. She shook the visions away and decided to concentrate on the task at hand. She had another test she had to pass in order to gain the trust of the dwarf king.

“Am I to assume that you are here for moral support, or does your dwarf king not trust that I will find the training field?” she asked as she approached the brothers.

“Both, I suppose,” said Fili with a smile. “My uncle thinks that you may not wish to test your abilities against skilled dwarf warriors. You might feel intimidated and leave abruptly without word.”

“Did he?” she cocked an eye brow at him. This dwarf king was more arrogant than she thought.

“Well, you can inform your uncle that he need not worry. I was just heading in that direction,” she informed them. “You can take your leave, my lord.”

Fili's smile grew as he held up his hands in surrender. This young ranger had quite a lot of spirit. Her eager nature was very entertaining. There was no wonder that his uncle was taken with her. They were alike in many ways. 

Nyssa made for the door in a huff with the princes rushing to keep up. Only Kili purposely dragged behind in the hope of running into Tauriel. He did not notice that the elf was hiding around a corner at the top of the stairs. She saw the dwarf prince and scurried around the corner before he could see her.

When she saw Nyssa with the dwarf princes again, she suddenly felt like her heart was torn between hope and despair. A part of her wanted to believe that Nyssa would help her with Kili, but then she remembered who it was that offered that help. Nyssa was a thief, and it was in her nature to lie. She knew better than to trust a liar.

But, now she had a new problem. Why did she not go to someone of authority and tell Nyssa’s secret? Surely, this woman wanted nothing but ill will for the dwarves, so why was Tauriel protecting her by keeping silent? Tauriel knew that the dwarves would never listen to an elf, especially a Silvan elf in exile. She needed proof, to discover what Nyssa was after. Armed with solid proof, she would have something that she could take to the authorities.

Tauriel knew that the dwarves were gathering at the training field to test Nyssa’s abilities. _For King Thorin's amusement, no doubt._ She felt a brief moment of sympathy for the thief, putting her through so many unnecessary trials to prove herself worthy of even associating with the dwarves. Their constant lack of trust and secrecy had become quite tiresome for even the lowliest creature. 

Tauriel waited until Nyssa and the dwarf princes left the healer’s house before following them. When the battle was over, Tauriel spent several months helping the humans rebuild as much of Dale as they could. Then, she spent several more weeks exploring the ancient city, even the areas that were not yet restored. So, she knew every street and passage throughout the city. Once she was in the street and watched them disappear in the crowd, she turned on her heels in the other direction and followed the quickest paths to the training field. She wanted to find a secluded place to watch the match.

Nyssa walked with confidence along with the brothers toward the training field. She had been trained by some of the finest rangers in both archery and sword fighting. Along the way, the brothers (especially Kili) could not help but inundate her with stories of their uncle’s glorious skill with a sword, his fighting prowess honed from many battles. She could not tell if they were merely proud of their uncle’s abilities or trying to scare her. Either way, she refused to let those stories rattle her. She fought in a few battles of her own, and she spent many decades surviving in the wilderness. She knew how to take care of herself, and she would prove it to them, all of them.

The training field was facing south of the city on an open hillside. It was still within the city's protective wall, yet it was very spacious and sported a beautiful view of all the lands surrounding the city. If one were to stand at the top of the hill, one could see for miles in every direction.

There were mostly dwarves on the field sparing with one another. The other races were spread out around them either watching the fighting or training among themselves.   
Dwalin was in the center of it all, training some young dwarflings clad only in their tunics and britches wearing the most basic armor. They were fighting with wooden swords so as not to hurt one another. 

~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ _They must be new recruits for the king's guard._

Thorin stood on the sidelines with a few other dwarves watching the event. He was also dressed in basic clothes but wore no armor. He had his advisor, Balin, standing beside him also watching the training, but it was obvious that Balin had no intention of joining the fight. He had his famous sword, Orcrist, resting loosely in his grip. Nyssa and the princes casually walked toward them with Nyssa confidently leading the way. 

As Nyssa approached, Thorin noticed her presence, and both he and Balin turned their attentions to the female ranger. Thorin grinned at the newly arrived party.

“So, you have come,” he said in that baritone voice. Nyssa detected a slight sense of pride in his tone.

“Did you believe me too timid, my lord? You do not know me as well as you think,” she replied with equal vigor.

“Well then, would you prefer to practice before we begin?” he asked with a slight smile playing across his lips. 

He watched with amusement as anger immediately played across her face. He enjoyed playing with her, testing her temper. He could feel his own blood heating up at the sight of her becoming irritated with him. He could not understand why this entertained him so much. Perhaps, it had something to do with his growing curiosity of the woman. She amused him more than any dwarrowdam ever could. For a Dunedain ranger, she still had much to learn.

Dwalin glanced in Thorin's direction and saw the ranger talking with his king. He made a low growl and turned his duties over to his lieutenant before walking toward the group. There was something about this woman that he did not like. He was especially uncomfortable with his best friend and king taking such an interest in her.

“So, ya come ta test yer skills with us, lass?” Dwalin asked.

“I have come to show your king how we rangers fight in a battle,” Nyssa said, emphasizing ‘your king’ in a haughty tone. She was growing weary of these constant tests and dwarvish arrogance.

“Well, then, let us begin,” he said before walking away from the group to take his battle stance.

Nyssa stared at him in confusion, then looked back at Thorin and Balin for answers. Thorin stared back at her with a slight smile while Balin only had remorse. Balin could tell by the look on this woman’s face that she was not told everything. She fully expected to fight against Thorin, not the battle hardened commander of Erebor’s army. She had a flash of disappointment across her face before Balin stepped in to explain.

“My Lady Analyn, Dwalin will test your skills with the sword while Prince Kili will judge your archery,” he said.

“I was under the impression that you wanted to test my skills personally, King Thorin,” she said with a playful smile. “Has your time in Erebor slowed you, my lord?”

Thorin lifted his chin and grunted slightly. He knew that she was goading him into fighting her, but he was not about to take that bait. She may have been able to hold her own, but no matter how many years she had lived, she was still an inexperienced warrior. He could tell that in her manner and her stance. She needed some lessons in humility first. He could think of no better teacher than Dwalin.

He schooled his features and stepped carefully toward her. His hardened blue eyes never left hers as he got closer. He wanted her to know who exactly was in charge, and Nyssa equally stood her ground. She worked to keep her own defiant nature present and not let him intimidate her. Although, deep down, she could feel her courage shrinking the closer he came toward her. When he stood just a breath away from her, he did something that she did not expect. He grinned at her.

“You are overly confident, my dear. You have much to learn, and Dwalin is a fine teacher. You want to accompany us to Erebor and offer your help with our defenses. Then you must first learn how to stand before you can walk.”

This made Nyssa all the more angry. Thorin could see it in her eyes. Without arguing, Nyssa turned and stormed past him to take her position before Dwalin. Thorin walked back toward his friend, Balin, before giving the order to begin the sparring. All of the other dwarves, including the princes, turned their attentions to their dwarf captain and the defiant female warrior. Balin watched his friend with a disapproving scowl and shook his head.

“Is this really necessary?” he asked his old friend and king.

“Do you disapprove? You should know me better than that, Balin.”

“I do not understand why you want to play these silly games with this woman. I already know that you have made up your mind to allow her into Erebor. Why are you putting her through this useless trial?”

“She has a stubborn nature, much like a dwarf. She intrigues me. She is a curiosity in many ways, yet there is something familiar about her, Balin. I cannot explain it,” said Thorin as he gave the signal for the fight to begin.

The fighting lasted for at least ten minutes, but it seemed longer. The girl had some impressive skills with her blade and held her own with each thrust from Dwalin’s axes. But, the old dwarf was far craftier and more experienced than she was. With each block and attack, he tested her strength and agility along with speed and endurance. When the two of them locked their weapons together in a block, Dwalin glanced at Thorin for a brief second getting the signal from his king to finish the fight and take her down. That was when Dwalin unlocked one of his axes and swept it under her back ankle knocking Nyssa off balance. 

Nyssa fell backwards toward the ground knocking the wind out of her body. Before she could recover, her sword was thrown from her hand, and Dwalin had her arms pinned down as he held his ax at her throat. She looked up and saw the triumphant grin on his face and knew that she had lost the fight. She had lost her chance to win the respect of the dwarves along with her chance to get into Erebor. What was she to do now? Not only did she lose the fight, but her pride was hurt as well. She felt her anger boil to the surface again.

She heard Thorin order his captain to let her stand up. No doubt, the dwarf king would want to torment her some more before sending her away. She felt humiliated.  
When she stood up, Kili had her sword in his grasp. He handed it to her, which she took it gratefully. Both he and his brother were the only two dwarves that had held any respect for her, that she could tell. She smiled a weak smile at him before turning back toward Thorin. Her expression was a mixture of hurt feelings and anger.  
Thorin’s eyes locked with hers as he spoke.

“You have a stout heart of a warrior, Lady Analyn. Not many humans would have the courage to test their fighting skills against a dwarf like Dwalin. Even I must train every day to keep up with my friend. That is why he is my captain and best warrior.”

Nyssa blinked in confusion. She expected him to brush her away as a human peasant no longer worth his time. Her brow furrowed as he continued his speech.

“The test was not whether or not you would win the fight, my dear. Were you committed to proving yourself a worthy asset to the dwarves of Erebor? To accept and go through this challenge that I gave you, I would say, yes.”

In her heart, she wanted to shout triumphantly, but she had to control her emotions. Instead she slowly let out the breath that she did not know she was holding.

Balin watched as her expression softened in her face, and her eyes gleamed with hope. One could mistake it as just simple gladness, but this time, it was different. He had seen that look before. It was a look of desperation that he had seen in his own people during their exile. It was like Thorin’s approval saved her from a life or death situation. It made him uncomfortable, to say the least. What was she running from in her past that required her to take refuge in Erebor?

“You will return with the company to Erebor. We will discuss your duties once we are there. I would suggest that you continue your training, and Dwalin will act as your mentor and captain while you are with us. You will take your orders from him,” Thorin said as he turned and walked away from the training field.

Balin bowed toward Nyssa and left without a word to follow Thorin. The princes also left with smiles across their faces. Nyssa grinned, thinking that now she had the chance she worked for. Now, she had to finish the job that she was tasked to do or find herself forever hunted by the elf king of Mirkwood.

Before she could follow the other dwarves back toward the city, Dwalin stepped in front of her. In her excitement, she nearly forgotten the second clause of her conditions.

“We ‘ave another hour before we leave for our journey. Ya will take a position with these lads and start training. Ya are under my command now, and we ‘ave a lot of work to do,” he said before he stepped closer. “Just remember, I’ll be watching.”

Without saying another word, Nyssa turned and walked toward the other dwarves. She stood before a shorter, yet stocky, dwarf and took stance. The dwarves waited for the order from their captain to resume their exercises, and Nyssa worked right along side of them. 

When the training was over, she felt exhausted. The thought of returning to her bed at the healer’s house was very enticing, but that was not an option. She was led to the convoy and was ordered to help with packing the wagons and strapping the supplies on the ponies for the trip. Once that was done, the dwarves set off for the day trip to Erebor. Nyssa wondered if she would survive the long walk, or would she die before she even reached the gates of the kingdom. The way that she felt at that moment, she would have guessed the latter. 


	10. Contractual Service

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This has been a more complicated story than when I first started. I have been working on my other stories in addition to some of my original work, but I haven't forgotten this one. I promise that I will finish it in due time. Even though it is a lot of work, it is still very fun to write. The reviews have been helpful. Please leave comments. I love reading them, even the critiques. Thank you.

Nyssa spent the better part of two weeks being ordered about by Dwalin. She hardly saw the king except for meal breaks, and he was always surrounded by some of his council, especially Balin. Nyssa needed some time to herself to look around the mountain, but between helping the dwarves with the restoration of the kingdom and the training sessions with Dwalin, she hardly had time to get the lay of the land.

It had been over a year since the death of Smaug and the great battle of the five armies, and the dwarves were no closer to repairing all the damage done by the dragon. Nyssa had no memory of what the mountain was like before Smaug. She was only an infant when her father came to Erebor.

_My father._

Her thoughts went to her father. She had not thought about him in years, and now she was standing in the very mountain where he had died. Nyssa felt her emotions begin to rise to the surface, and she fought to suppress them. She was surrounded by the other dwarves, and the last thing she wanted was to start crying in front of them. Besides, she learned long ago how to set her feelings aside. Emotions were a distraction and a liability in her life.

She wondered when the dwarves retook the mountain, did they find her father in the dungeons? What did they do with the bodies of the prisoners left behind when the dragon attacked? Did they, at least, receive a proper burial? 

These thoughts were filling her with rage to the point of nearly decimating the straw figure she used as a sparring opponent in the training arena. By the time she was done, the straw figure looked like a pile of rubbish. She stared at the broken pieces on the ground while panting heavily. The sword felt heavy, and her grip on the hilt made her hand go numb.

“Anger can cloud your judgment and make you vulnerable to attack,” said the baritone voice of the king behind her.

Nyssa turned around to face Thorin watching her from just a few short paces away. How long had he been there? Her anger turned to surprise and then back to loathing when she laid eyes on the dwarf she blamed for her family woes. But, she worked to keep that from showing on her face. She grinned at the dwarf king and bowed.

“My lord, have you come for a sparring lesson?” she asked in joking fashion.

Thorin smiled and chuckled at her obvious request. She was quite sure of herself, and by the look of the straw figure in pieces before them, she was improving her skills. Still, Dwalin had failed to teach the female ranger humility.

He would have loved to take her up on her challenge, but he was here on business. The lesson in humility would have to wait. 

“It is time that we discuss your roll here in Erebor. Walk with me, Analyn,” he said and led the way out of the training arena.

Nyssa took that more as an order than a request. She could tell that he was used to having his orders obeyed without question. He had a presence of regal authority in the way he carried himself. It was almost admirable if she did not know any better. She wondered if he was like that when he spent all those years as a lowly blacksmith. Obviously, the dwarves of the Blue Mountains would follow him to the ends of Middle-Earth, but what of any other person? Did his presence command that same loyalty from the people in all those towns and villages he worked at?

Nyssa followed Thorin through various corridors and hallways throughout the mountain. She paid close attention to her surroundings in every area they passed. Thorin took her through an open walkway that bridged over the marketplace. Nyssa could see the various merchants and customers in their colorful attire from far away. They looked like little spots of color carefully gliding along the streets. Yes, the dwarves were coming back to the mountain. 

They continued along this path until they came to a stone spiral staircase with two of Thorin’s elite guards standing on either side of the entrance. They immediately stood at attention as he approached. Thorin bowed slightly to them and walked past them without missing a beat. Nyssa held back a few steps to study where she was. This was the entrance into the Royal living quarters, the Royal family’s private wing. Only with special permission that any ordinary commoner were to enter past this archway. The same was true of the treasure room as well.

Nyssa took a quick breath before continuing through the archway and up the stone staircase. Thorin was nearly to the top when she caught up with him. They came to a massive wooden door. Thorin pushed through and entered with Nyssa quickly following behind. Nyssa stopped and took in her surroundings in awe.

They had entered a large sitting room with warg rugs on the floor. Tapestries of glorious color and images were hung on the walls all around the room. There were plush and colorful chairs and couches throughout various corners and circled around the massive fireplace. There was a walkway at the far side of the room with doors that led to other rooms along each side of the passage. Nyssa assumed that those were the private sleeping quarters for the family. 

The sitting room was very open with large windows on the other side allowing fresh air into the area. Nyssa broke away for a moment and stepped toward one of the open windows. She looked out over the countryside in amazement. From this window, she could see nearly all of the lands in the dwarven kingdom, including Dale. It was a magnificent view. Nyssa also guessed that they were nearing the top of the mountain.

“Analyn,” Thorin called bringing Nyssa out of her thoughts. “This way.”

Thorin turned away and led Nyssa toward another door in the corner of the room. He opened the door and went inside. Nyssa walked through and saw that the walls were covered with shelves of books and parchments from one end to another. Thorin crossed the room and walked around a large wooden table that was covered with maps and parchment papers. He sifted through the parchments until he found the contract he was looking for. He glanced up at Nyssa who was too busy studying the books on the shelves in front of her. Most of the books were in Khuzdul (the dwarvish language), but there were a few written in the common tongue. Nyssa only knew common and elvish language. Khuzdul was very foreign to her.

“They were my grandfather’s,” he said with a bit of melancoly in his voice. “This was his personal study. There were times when he would escape the stressful moments of the day and relax by the fire with one of his books.”

Thorin moved toward Nyssa to also examine each volume displayed on the shelf. After a few moments of looking, he pulled a book from the shelf and showed it to her. Nyssa took it and opened it. The book was _The History and Legend of the Dwarvish Culture._

“This was one of his favorites,” he said proudly. “Thror was always proud of our dwarf heritage. He once told me that to be a king is a great honor and a privilege. Any man can inherit the throne through birth, but only a strong leader who loves his people has the right to it.”

“I imagine that he would be very proud to see that you have claimed it once again,” she said. Thorin looked at her with surprise.

“I suppose so.” He had not thought of it that way. “I only wish that he could have lived to see what was stolen finally returned to our people.”

“It meant that much to you? To reclaim this mountain in his memory?” she asked. 

“Yes.” Thorin was taken back by the questions. “This mountain had been our home for hundreds of years. I was born here, like my father and grandfather before me. My siblings and I were raised here. When Smaug attacked us and forced my people out of our home, it nearly tore my grandfather apart. My mother, like many of our people, died months later due to the sulfur smoke from Smaug’s fiery breath. The elders died along the journey through the wilderness. What was left of our people finally settled in the Blue Mountains.”

_How sad for you, King Thorin, that you should lose your family so unfairly. I can relate to that._

Nyssa listened to Thorin’s story and felt some sympathy toward the dwarf king. Yes, he and his people suffered so much, but it really seemed like poetic justice compared to the loss of her family at his hand. Yet, as she watched his face, she could not help but feel a little remorse. She could relate very well what it felt like to lose all the people she loved.

“Well then, my lord. We have a lot of work to do to make sure that this mountain is secure, so nothing and no one ever steals from your people ever again.” Nyssa grabbed at what she saw was an opening.

At first, Thorin eyed her with a sense of curiosity. She was an enigma, there was no question about that. He had never met a woman so sure of herself as Analyn. She spoke like a dwarrowdam, so confident that one could almost describe her as cocky. Clearly, humility was not in her nature.

“You are very bold to speak of such things to me, Lady Analyn. I know that you are of the legendary Dunedain race of men, and that your age is much closer to my nephews than to an average human. But, I believe that only proves just how young and inexperienced you are,” Thorin said more aggressively.

“So, you believe me to be inexperienced? I have trained with the best rangers from the North, my lord. And, because of that training, I know that the city of Dale is a tactical nightmare. It has been a year, my lord, and the fishermen of Laketown still cannot fortify it properly. The streets are a confusing maze with some of the areas still too dangerous to enter. The people cannot coordinate with each other if there is an attack. They are untrained and have few weapons, even with what they managed to salvage from the city and the town,” she said with her arms crossed at her chest.

Thorin could not dispute what she had just said. It was true that Dale is far from ready if they ever experienced another battle like the one they fought over a year ago against Azog and his legions. Thorin was also spread very thin lending his own troops to Bard to both defend and train the humans in the hope that Bard could build an army of his own. The city would make a strong ally if it harbored experienced warriors and not just simple fishermen.

“And, then there are the problems with your kingdom, my lord,” she said, breaking Thorin’s concentration. “You have only one entrance and exit to this mountain, the main gate. When Smaug attacked this mountain, there was nowhere for your people to go. I am not suggesting that another dragon attack is imminent, but what if this mountain is attacked by an outside force? How will you get your people out?”

“You assume a great deal. How do you know what this mountain has in defenses and escape routes? You have never entered the Kingdom of Erebor before your orc attack a month ago. Yet, you speak as though you are far more knowledgeable than any dwarf here, including me.”

“I beg your pardon, my lord. I mean no offense,” she said with a slight bow and shifting her eyes to the floor. “I only wish to help you.”

Thorin smirked at her. No one outside of this kingdom would care to offer advice or assistance to them without something in return, so what did she want from him? Which brought him back to the contract that rested on a pile of parchment papers and maps scattered all over the top of the table at the far side of the room. He would have to question her later over her true motives for wanting to remain in Erebor, but the legalities must be met for now.

“Then we must delay no longer in hashing out the details of your duties here,” said Thorin as he turned toward the table and picked up the contract. “I have something I wish for you to read and sign. If you are to remain in Erebor for the time being, you must sign the contract.”

Nyssa cautiously walked toward the king. Her eyes followed Thorin from his face to the paper in his hand. She took the contract and began reading it.

It was directly to the point. She was to have free access to all the corridors of the mountain provided that Dwalin or one of his associates accompany her. She was to obey Dwalin’s commands and report any ideas that she had in regards to both the security of the mountain and also that of Dale. He still felt that Nyssa needed more experience if she were to be a part of the reshaping of Erebor. On condition of her remaining in the mountain, she was to continue her training under Dwalin’s tutelage.

“So, I am to become your captain’s apprentice? Why does that matter to you?” she asked.

“I think that in order for you to help in strengthening our defenses, you need to better understand our ways and fighting skills. I can recommend no better teacher than Dwalin.”

Thorin leaned closer toward her. His expression changed to a more hardened character. His voice was low and deep when he spoke to her again.

“Know this, dwarves rarely teach outsiders anything about our culture. You should be honored that I am allowing you this opportunity.”

There was also another reason why he wanted her to not be far out of sight of Dwalin. He could tell that she was quite clever, but there was something about her that bothered him. She seemed to be too clever, like she was hiding something about herself. His feeling about her made it difficult to trust her fully. He felt far better having Dwalin or one of his trusted lieutenants watching her when he could not. 

Nyssa closed her mouth, and a small grin spread across her face. At least, this was a positive step toward securing the king’s trust. She did not care for having a chaperone with her at all times, but that was only a minor irritation. She needed to take every opportunity presented and go with it. 

She nodded her head to the dwarf king and reached for the quill at the corner of the table. She dipped the quill in the inkwell and signed her name under the eloquent loops of the king. She sprinkled sand on the name and passed the paper across the table toward Thorin. The king inspected the contract and nodded his head in agreement. Analyn, daughter of Gwidyan, was written in bold writing at the bottom of the page.

After the ink was dry, Thorin folded the paper and turned to Nyssa. He was pleased that the contract business was finished.

“I suppose I am to do as ordered while here at Erebor until you find my services are no long required?” she said in a light voice.

“Until I release you, yes,” said Thorin.

“So, what is next, my lord?” she asked.

“I suggest you go and get some rest. You will need it. Starting tomorrow, we go to work.”

Nyssa smiled. She could not agree more.


	11. Getting To Know Your Enemies

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I patterned dwarf courting practices with a little 19th Century Western Culture etiquette. I don't know if it was anything Tolkien envisioned, but it seemed to work for this plot. Plus, I hope you enjoy it. This chapter was a hard one to get through.

For the next several days, Nyssa was put through a grueling training process with Dwalin. She thought she had it bad when she trained with the Dunedain rangers, but this was intense. She reported to Dwalin an hour before sunrise to help with the rebuilding of the corridors that led into the living areas of the mountain. It seemed that the stress of Smaug’s Earth-shaking footsteps combined with years of neglect had made them unstable and dangerous.

She felt exhausted by the time the evening meal was presented in the dining hall. She could barely sit at her table as the pain from the day’s work coursed through every joint in her body. She stared in amazement at the loud commotion around her. These dwarves worked just as long and hard as she did, yet they still had the energy to dance on the tables and feast like every day was a party. 

Suppose it was, for them at least? They had managed to get back their homeland and secure it for future dwarves to inhabit this mountain. To the average person, that was something to celebrate.

Nyssa looked down at her plate and wrinkled her nose in despair. She could not tell what had happened to her appetite. Was it really the strenuous work that left her body in uncomfortable pain, or the mental pain of missing her family? She did not know.

She was so lost in her own thoughts that she did not see Fili and Kili approach her table until they were right in front of her. Kili slammed his tankard down on the table causing a few drops of ale to spill on the old oak finish. The action brought Nyssa out of her thoughts and into the present. She looked up at the two princes and smiled.

“Look Kili, she does know how to smile,” joked Fili to his brother. “Why are you so alone, my lady? Why not join in the festivities?”

“Clearly, my lords, you are having just as much fun without my help. Besides, I am far too sore to join the party,” she answered as she tried massaging her shoulder. “Your captain of the guard forgets that I am not a dwarf. I may have the lifespan of one, but I do not have your stamina.”

“Oh, there is a remedy for that,” said Kili picking up his tankard and taking a long gulp of ale.

“How surprising it is to have a dwarf tell me that all the answers I seek in life can easily be found after a long night of drinking,” said Nyssa teasing the young dwarf. 

She raised her tankard in a salute to the two princes and took a long drink of her own. Fili smirked as he did the same.

The two princes took the empty seats opposite of Nyssa and continued drinking and laughing, unaware that Nori was seated a few tables away watching their interactions with a curious eye. Bofur had just finished a funny story in which everyone at the table laughed loudly including himself. He turned to Nori who seamed too distracted to take part in the fun.

“Hey there,” Bofur said reaching across the table to jab Nori in the arm. “What has gotten into you?”

Nori turned to Bofur still looking lost in thought.

“That lady ranger over there,” Nori said gesturing toward Nyssa. “Why is she here, do ya know?”

“Dunno,” said Bofur as he followed Nori’s gaze and shrugged his shoulders. “You could ask Dwalin. He’s the one lookin’ after her.”

“There’s somethin’ about her. I can't explain it.”

Nori took a drink from his tankard as he tried to remember where he had seen this woman before. It really bothered him, like an itch that he could not scratch. Why would a human woman be of any interest to him? He had very little to do with any humans in his lifetime. There were only a few times where he ventured out into the world of men, not including the company’s quest.

The markets in Gondor were very rich indeed, and there were many pockets ripe for the picking, so to speak. He had acquired quite a few gold coins until he was caught helping himself to an old woman’s purse. He managed to escape the prison cells and leave Gondor with his skin in tact. 

While he was there, he learned of other nefarious deeds done by another group. A family notorious for thievery and criminal mishaps blamed on innocent folks. While their reputations were well known, there was no real news about where they came from. There were only rumors, some seemingly more incredible while others were more believable. 

Bofur watched his friend with curiosity as Nori’s face seemed troubled. Nori took another gulp from his tankard and slammed the mug on the table in frustration. This strange memory would haunt him until he found the answers.

“Nori? Are you alright? Too much of that dwarven ale?” Bofur asked in jest. He knew it took a lot of drink to get Nori even a little tipsy.

“What? Oh, I am fine, mate,” said Nori as Bofur’s questions brought him out of his thoughts and into the present. “I forgot. I need to be somewhere right now. I’ll see ya in the morning.”

Like a shot, Nori grabbed his tankard and left the table with Bofur furrowing his forehead in confusion. Nori decided to find Dori. Maybe talking with his brother would help jar the memory loose from its foggy abyss. Only Dori knew of Nori’s past. He disapproved of Nori’s behavior, but they were brothers.

Nothing was more important to a dwarf, other than treasures, was family. If anyone could help Nori with his problems, it was Dori.

Nori’s abrupt departure left Bofur in utter bewilderment. Was it something he said to his friend that got him all grumpy? He took a large gulp of ale from his own mug as he mentally went over the events leading up to Nori leaving. The last thing that was mentioned was about the female ranger. 

Bofur glanced over at the table where the girl and the princes were laughing and smiling through their conversations. They seemed to be having a fun time in each other’s company. So, what was so strange about it?

Bofur shrugged and dismissed the thought. Perhaps, it was just another one of Nori’s eccentric qwerks. He was always the most secretive in the company.

Bofur reached across the table for a plate of meat and cheese to go with his ale. He was determined to enjoy the evening and drink until he passed out under the table (as usual). He turned his attention back to the singing and put the conversation out of his mind.

Nyssa was completely oblivious to any such attentions. She was having fun being entertained by the princes with their stories and laughter. But, the effects of the dwarves’ ale was getting to her. She shielded a sudden yawn with the back of her hand and felt very tired. Kili’s face fell slightly as he became aware that their time was coming to a close for the evening.

However, Nyssa was far from wanting to retire to her quarters, no matter how weary she felt. Now, would have been a chance for her to get the princes to escort her throughout the kingdom. A quiet innocent tour of the city was a great way to navigate and learn these halls without suspicion.

“Well, you must be in need of rest. Mr. Dwalin will have you working and training twice as hard tomorrow,” said Fili as he stood up from his seat. He motioned for Kili to join him.

Nyssa’s eyes widened, and her demeanor changed. She reached for Fili’s hand and gently tugged at it. The act took both Fili and Kili by surprise, for the movement displayed a bit more intimacy than it was meant to. 

“Don’t leave just yet. We were having such fun,” she stood and smiled but immediately let go of Fili’s hand once she saw what prompted their reactions. “I was hoping to gain the courage to ask you nice gentle dwarves to give me a tour of this mighty kingdom of yours.”

Nyssa could feel her cheeks blushing when she first noticed the princes reactions after she grasped Fili’s hand. Her eyes dropped to the table in complete embarrassment, and it took her a few seconds to find her voice to make her suggestion. In the back of her mind, she berated herself for not thinking before she reacted. She knew that dwarves regarded holding hands as an intimate gesture reserved for couples courting. It was the same for when a dwarf braided another’s hair. She hoped that no one else saw that, and the princes did not read too much into it.

“Oh, well,” Fili said searching for his own voice. He turned to his brother for assistance. “I suppose we could offer some guidance.”

“Sure, for your protection, of course,” Kili chimed in. “Erebor can be very dangerous to any outsider. The mountain corridors are extensive. It takes days to explore every part.”

“Yes, I could get lost, and we would not want that,” Nyssa said, her smile grew bigger.

The princes returned her smile and lead the way out of the dining hall. Fili glanced at the other dwarves in the room, but they were too consumed with their own conversations, drink, and singing to pay the three of them any mind. He was thankful for that. The last thing he wanted was for any fabricated stories to come from what just took place between him and the ranger. He did not want to face his uncle and have to explain an event that he was not even sure of himself.

As they neared the exit of the dining hall, Nyssa saw a gathering of dwarves around a much larger table at the far side of the room.

They were dressed in regal robes of magistrates and lords, and they were in casual conversation with each other. Nyssa recognized the dwarf, Balin, among them dressed in a red garment looking very noble.

The only characters that stood out, ironically stood away from the group altogether, were a small group of elves just a few steps away. She recognized one of the elves as Ambassador Elion, the elf she met in the healer’s house in Dale.

_What is he doing here?_

Nyssa gently tugged on Kili’s arm to gain his attention and pointed at the delegation at the table. Her eyes were fixed on Elion as she spoke.

“Who are those people over there?” she asked as innocently as possible. 

“Those are the delegates from the seven dwarf kingdoms. They are here for the Durin’s Day celebrations,” Kili answered.

“Durin’s Day,” she said in surprise. “I thought it was still over a month away.”

“It is, but we dwarves love to celebrate for as long as we can,” he said with a smile.

“They are not just here for Durin’s Day,” Fili said interrupting his brother’s teasing. “Uncle is negotiating trade agreements and other treaties with the seven kingdoms and the Woodland Realm. Uncle wants to finalize these agreements before sunset on Durin’s Day.”

Nyssa nodded her head that she understood, and glanced back at the table.

“Come with us. You said you wanted to see the mountain,” Fili smiled and tapped Nyssa on the shoulder to bring her out of her thoughts. Nyssa returned the smile and followed the princes out of the room.

Their exit did not go unnoticed. One of the elves saw Nyssa from across the room and leaned toward his ambassador to whisper something in his ear. Elion nodded his head and glanced toward the exit in time to see Nyssa leave the room.

“She is here, your grace,” said the elf subordinate.

“Yes, she is far more devious than our king gives her credit for,” said Elion as he takes a drink from his wine goblet.

Two guards from the main entrance into the dining hall entered with trumpet horns in their hands. They blew a quick tune in unison and stood at attention as a bellman entered the room. Silence fell as the bellman announced the arrival of King Thorin. The king entered as everyone in the room bowed to show their respects. Thorin waved his approval, and the crowd returned to their individual food, drink, and company. Thorin hurried toward the table where the delegates were taking their seats.

“I trust that Lord Thorin knows what he must do during the official ceremony on Durin’s Day,” one of the dwarf delegates addressed to Balin. It sounded more like a reminder than a casual discussion.

“He knows what is at stake, Wan. You don’t have to remind us,” Balin said cordially but with a little stern in his voice. He was growing quite tired of their constant tirades.

“It is not that we have doubts about the king, Balin. You must understand that the seven dwarf kingdoms have made a pledge during the time of Thror’s rule. The kingdoms pledge their allegiance to the one who wields the Arkenstone. Thorin must produce it for all the world to see at the ceremony,” said another delegate.

“You will see the Arkenstone, Flunli, son of Gilloi,” said a low baritone voice from behind him.

The young dwarf’s eyes grew large as he turned and stood face to face with Thorin, son of Thrain. The king looked at the dwarf with a hard stare from his icy blue eyes, daring the dwarf to say something more.

Flunli lowered his gaze, and for a few seconds, Thorin contemplated putting the young dwarf in his place. But, he decided against it and moved toward his chair. His guards took their usual stations around the table as Thorin sat down.

“I know that many of you are apprehensive over whether or not the Arkenstone definitely rests under this mountain. Let me assure you that I am the rightful King Under the Mountain. I have the Arkenstone in a safe place that is well guarded. And, there is not a creature in Middle-earth who is foolish enough to steal it from me. It belongs to the dwarves of Erebor, and here is were it will stay. Am I perfectly clear?” stated Thorin.

There was silence and the nodding of heads around the table. Thorin was satisfied with that and laid the matter to rest. He gestured for the servants to begin serving the food and wine.

“A fine speech, my lord,” said Elion as he raised his goblet to Thorin. “You can now rejoice in the knowledge that this is your kingdom, and you are its rightful heir. Thankfully, no one here would even dream of challenging your right.”

Elion stood from his table and raised his goblet toward Thorin.

“To King Thorin,” he said as he took a drink from the goblet.

“To King Thorin,” said the rest of the delegates as they raised their goblets and toasted to their king.

Thorin was the last to do the same and nodded to Elion. He grinned at the elf seated across the table, yet he sorely disliked him. Not because he was from the Woodland Realm and in Thranduil’s employ, but because Thorin felt something sinister in his remarks. 

Thorin had the same feeling when he met the elf in Dale. He always knew to trust his feelings when something was uneasy. He only wished that he listened to his inner voice more often. When the company entered the empty cave in the Misty Mountains during the quest to reach Erebor a few years past, he might have spared the group the little detour into Goblin Town.

For Balin’s sake and for the good of building relations for Erebor, Thorin would let the elf’s remarks go without a challenge to his meaning. But, he made sure that he would receive regular reports while the elves visited his mountain. If they were up to something, he wanted to know what it was.


End file.
